What is the cost of living in El Cerrito, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, El Cerrito has an overall cost of living index of 200, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, El Cerrito has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in El Cerrito ranks as #531 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies El Cerrito ranks as the #103 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in El Cerrito, check out:
El Cerrito Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in El Cerrito. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in El Cerrito is 117.
The Groceries index in El Cerrito is 113.
The Health index in El Cerrito is 391.
The Housing index in El Cerrito is 127.
The Transportation index in El Cerrito is 123.
The Utilities index in El Cerrito is 133.
| Living Expense | El Cerrito | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 200 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 117 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 113 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 391 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 127 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 123 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 133 | 121 | 100 |
El Cerrito Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in El Cerrito Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
El Cerrito, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in El Cerrito is $1,142,478.
The Median Rent in El Cerrito is $1,787.
The Median Income in El Cerrito is $108,882.
The Home Value To Income in El Cerrito is 10.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in El Cerrito is 0.2x.
| Statistic | El Cerrito | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,142,478 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,787 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $108,882 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.5x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
El Cerrito, CA Costs By Category
Detailed El Cerrito Services costs vs. California
| Item | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.45 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.46 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $27.22 | $18 |
| Haircut | $25.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $76.0 | $45.56 |
Detailed El Cerrito Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.7 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.43 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.87 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.18 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.64 | $3.7 |
Detailed El Cerrito Health costs vs. California
| Item | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $137.4 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed El Cerrito Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.6 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.97 | $59.92 |
Detailed El Cerrito Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | El Cerrito | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.51 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
