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 275, which is 2.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Foster City has a cost of living index that's 1.9x higher than California's index of 142.
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:
Foster City Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Foster City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Foster City is 109.
The Groceries index in Foster City is 116.
The Health index in Foster City is 652.
The Housing index in Foster City is 115.
The Transportation index in Foster City is 119.
The Utilities index in Foster City is 118.
| Living Expense | Foster City | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 275 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 116 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 652 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 115 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 119 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 118 | 121 | 100 |
Foster City 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 Foster City Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Foster City is $1,911,067.
The Median Rent in Foster City is $3,501.
The Median Income in Foster City is $199,143.
The Home Value To Income in Foster City is 9.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Foster City is 0.21x.
| Statistic | Foster City | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,911,067 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $3,501 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $199,143 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.6x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
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 |
