Fountain Valley, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Fountain Valley, CA Summary

Cost of living in Fountain Valley 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 Fountain Valley 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 Fountain Valley is 186, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fountain Valley is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Fountain Valley ranks as the #494 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Fountain Valley ranks as the #6,239 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fountain Valley is $1,324,826.

  • The median income in Fountain Valley is $111,797.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
186
Fountain Valley's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fountain Valley, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fountain Valley has an overall cost of living index of 186, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Fountain Valley has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Fountain Valley ranks as #494 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Fountain Valley ranks as the #140 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Fountain Valley, check out:

494 out of 634
In California
6,239 out of 6,489
In America

Fountain Valley Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fountain Valley. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Fountain Valley is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Fountain Valley is 113.

  • The Health index in Fountain Valley is 97.

  • The Housing index in Fountain Valley is 360.

  • The Transportation index in Fountain Valley is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Fountain Valley is 93.

Living Expense Fountain Valley California National Average
Overall 186 141 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 113 112 100
Health 97 110 100
Housing 360 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 93 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Fountain Valley Cost of Living Vs. CA

Fountain Valley, 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 Fountain Valley is $1,324,826.

  • The Median Rent in Fountain Valley is $2,507.

  • The Median Income in Fountain Valley is $111,797.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fountain Valley is 11.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fountain Valley is 0.27x.

Statistic Fountain Valley California United States
Median Home Value $1,324,826 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,507 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $111,797 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 11.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,324,826
Median Home Value
$2,507
Median Rent
$111,797
Median Income

Fountain Valley, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Fountain Valley Services Costs Vs. California

Item Fountain Valley California
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $11.04 $12.13
Bowling $21.11 $18
Haircut $27.27 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.78 $45.56

Detailed Fountain Valley Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Fountain Valley California
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.49 $1.57
Milk $4.92 $4.67
Potatoes $4.92 $4.93
Pizza $15.31 $12.09
Beer $10.26 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.61 $3.7

Detailed Fountain Valley Health Costs Vs. California

Item Fountain Valley California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Fountain Valley Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Fountain Valley California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Fountain Valley Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Fountain Valley California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Fountain Valley SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
7
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fountain Valley

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fountain Valley. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Santa Ana, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 0.8x Fountain Valley.

  • Huntington Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 189, 1.0x Fountain Valley.

  • Garden Grove, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x Fountain Valley.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fountain Valley
Santa Ana, CA 311,639 154 0.8x
Huntington Beach, CA 196,010 189 1.0x
Garden Grove, CA 170,603 160 0.9x
Orange, CA 138,723 170 0.9x
Costa Mesa, CA 110,538 186 1.0x
Mission Viejo, CA 92,415 184 1.0x
Westminster, CA 90,147 164 0.9x
Lake Forest, CA 85,846 175 0.9x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 0.9x
Tustin, CA 79,035 176 0.9x

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