El Centro, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In El Centro, CA Summary
Cost of living in El Centro research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means El Centro is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in El Centro is 110, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in El Centro is 1.1x higher than the national average.
El Centro ranks as the #45 cheapest in California out of 634.
El Centro ranks as the #3,657 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in El Centro is $375,376.
The median income in El Centro is $56,093.
Table Of Contents
El Centro's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in El Centro, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, El Centro has an overall cost of living index of 110, which is 1.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, El Centro has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in El Centro ranks as #45 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies El Centro ranks as the #589 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in El Centro, check out:
In California
In America
El Centro Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in El Centro. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in El Centro is 114.
The Groceries index in El Centro is 117.
The Health index in El Centro is 104.
The Housing index in El Centro is 105.
The Transportation index in El Centro is 129.
The Utilities index in El Centro is 109.
| Living Expense | El Centro | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 110 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 104 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 105 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 129 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 109 | 128 | 100 | |
El Centro, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in El Centro is $375,376.
The Median Rent in El Centro is $992.
The Median Income in El Centro is $56,093.
The Home Value To Income in El Centro is 6.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in El Centro is 0.21x.
| Statistic | El Centro | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $375,376 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $992 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $56,093 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.7x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
El Centro, CA Costs By Category
Detailed El Centro Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | El Centro | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.5 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.89 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.92 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.77 | $45.56 |
Detailed El Centro Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | El Centro | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.05 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.98 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.25 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
Detailed El Centro Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | El Centro | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
Detailed El Centro Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | El Centro | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
Detailed El Centro Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | El Centro | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
El Centro SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around El Centro
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around El Centro. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Calexico, CA has a cost of living index of 112, 1.0x El Centro.
Brawley, CA has a cost of living index of 110, 1.0x El Centro.
Imperial, CA has a cost of living index of 119, 1.1x El Centro.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. El Centro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calexico, CA | 38,476 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Brawley, CA | 26,934 | 110 | 1.0x |
| Imperial, CA | 20,943 | 119 | 1.1x |
| Heber, CA | 7,308 | 112 | 1.0x |
| Calipatria, CA | 6,549 | 103 | 0.9x |
| Holtville, CA | 5,606 | 109 | 1.0x |
