Cost of living in Escondido 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 Escondido 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 Escondido is 149, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Escondido is 1.5x higher than the national average.
Escondido ranks as the #311 cheapest in California out of 634.
Escondido ranks as the #5,665 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Escondido is $822,376.
The median income in Escondido is $84,477.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Escondido has an overall cost of living index of 149, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Escondido has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Escondido ranks as #311 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Escondido ranks as the #323 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Escondido, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Escondido. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Escondido is 113.
The Groceries index in Escondido is 114.
The Health index in Escondido is 106.
The Housing index in Escondido is 231.
The Transportation index in Escondido is 128.
The Utilities index in Escondido is 106.
| Living Expense | Escondido | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 149 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 114 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 231 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 128 | 100 | |
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 Escondido is $822,376.
The Median Rent in Escondido is $1,922.
The Median Income in Escondido is $84,477.
The Home Value To Income in Escondido is 9.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Escondido is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Escondido | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $822,376 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,922 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $84,477 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.7x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Escondido | 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 |
| Item | Escondido | 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 |
| Item | Escondido | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
| Item | Escondido | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
| Item | Escondido | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Escondido. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Oceanside, CA has a cost of living index of 156, 1.0x Escondido.
Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 195, 1.3x Escondido.
Vista, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 1.0x Escondido.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Escondido |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanside, CA | 172,542 | 156 | 1.0x |
| Carlsbad, CA | 114,500 | 195 | 1.3x |
| Vista, CA | 98,646 | 154 | 1.0x |
| San Marcos, CA | 94,078 | 162 | 1.1x |
| Encinitas, CA | 61,585 | 214 | 1.4x |
| Santee, CA | 59,485 | 149 | 1.0x |
| Poway, CA | 48,515 | 176 | 1.2x |
| Camp Pendleton South, CA | 15,011 | 158 | 1.1x |
| Solana Beach, CA | 12,841 | 254 | 1.7x |
| Valley Center, CA | 10,303 | 166 | 1.1x |