What is the cost of living in El Monte, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, El Monte has an overall cost of living index of 151, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, El Monte has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in El Monte ranks as #306 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies El Monte ranks as the #328 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in El Monte, check out:
El Monte Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in El Monte. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in El Monte is 110.
The Groceries index in El Monte is 117.
The Health index in El Monte is 229.
The Housing index in El Monte is 122.
The Transportation index in El Monte is 125.
The Utilities index in El Monte is 118.
| Living Expense | El Monte | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 151 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 117 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 229 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 122 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 125 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 118 | 121 | 100 |
El Monte 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 Monte Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
El Monte, 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 Monte is $765,444.
The Median Rent in El Monte is $1,736.
The Median Income in El Monte is $68,030.
The Home Value To Income in El Monte is 11.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in El Monte is 0.31x.
| Statistic | El Monte | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $765,444 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,736 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $68,030 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.3x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.31x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
El Monte, CA Costs By Category
Detailed El Monte Services costs vs. California
| Item | El Monte | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.41 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.46 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.07 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed El Monte Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | El Monte | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.26 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.08 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $16.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.6 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.76 | $3.7 |
Detailed El Monte Health costs vs. California
| Item | El Monte | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.09 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $119.86 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.07 | $113.29 |
Detailed El Monte Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | El Monte | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.47 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed El Monte Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | El Monte | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $326.49 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.78 | $192.25 |
El Monte SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around El Monte
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around El Monte. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 166, 1.1x El Monte.
Baldwin Park, CA has a cost of living index of 146, 1.0x El Monte.
Yorba Linda, CA has a cost of living index of 203, 1.3x El Monte.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. El Monte |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakewood, CA | 79,850 | 166 | 1.1x |
| Baldwin Park, CA | 70,138 | 146 | 1.0x |
| Yorba Linda, CA | 67,170 | 203 | 1.3x |
| Arcadia, CA | 55,170 | 223 | 1.5x |
| Rosemead, CA | 50,013 | 162 | 1.1x |
| Cypress, CA | 49,498 | 178 | 1.2x |
| La Mirada, CA | 47,180 | 167 | 1.1x |
| La Verne, CA | 30,600 | 164 | 1.1x |
| West Puente Valley, CA | 22,495 | 148 | 1.0x |
| South El Monte, CA | 19,287 | 146 | 1.0x |
