Foster City, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Foster City, CA Summary
Cost of living in Foster City 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 Foster City 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 Foster City is 276, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Foster City is 2.8x higher than the national average.
Foster City ranks as the #599 cheapest in California out of 634.
Foster City ranks as the #6,449 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Foster City is $1,815,930.
The median income in Foster City is $193,633.
Table Of Contents
Foster City's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Foster City, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Foster City has an overall cost of living index of 276, which is 2.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Foster City has a cost of living index that's 2.0x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Foster City ranks as #599 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Foster City ranks as the #35 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Foster City, check out:
In California
In America
Foster City Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Foster City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Foster City is 114.
The Groceries index in Foster City is 118.
The Health index in Foster City is 119.
The Housing index in Foster City is 633.
The Transportation index in Foster City is 127.
The Utilities index in Foster City is 135.
| Living Expense | Foster City | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 276 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 118 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 119 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 633 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 127 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 135 | 128 | 100 | |
Foster City, 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 Foster City is $1,815,930.
The Median Rent in Foster City is $3,501.
The Median Income in Foster City is $193,633.
The Home Value To Income in Foster City is 9.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Foster City is 0.22x.
| Statistic | Foster City | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,815,930 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $3,501 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $193,633 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.4x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.22x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Foster City, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Foster City Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Foster City | 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 Foster City Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Foster City | 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 Foster City Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Foster City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $137.4 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Foster City Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Foster City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.6 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.97 | $59.92 |
Detailed Foster City Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Foster City | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.51 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Foster City SnackAbility
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