Fresno, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Fresno, CA Summary

Cost of living in Fresno 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 Fresno 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 Fresno is 118, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Fresno is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Fresno ranks as the #103 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Fresno ranks as the #4,280 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Fresno is $386,172.

  • The median income in Fresno is $66,804.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
118
Fresno's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Fresno, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fresno has an overall cost of living index of 118, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Fresno has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Fresno ranks as #103 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Fresno ranks as the #531 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Fresno, check out:

103 out of 634
In California
4,280 out of 6,489
In America

Fresno Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Fresno is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Fresno is 102.

  • The Health index in Fresno is 96.

  • The Housing index in Fresno is 130.

  • The Transportation index in Fresno is 119.

  • The Utilities index in Fresno is 142.

Living Expense Fresno California National Average
Overall 118 141 100
Services 106 110 100
Groceries 102 112 100
Health 96 110 100
Housing 130 195 100
Transportation 119 125 100
Utilities 142 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Fresno Cost of Living Vs. CA

Fresno, 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 Fresno is $386,172.

  • The Median Rent in Fresno is $1,324.

  • The Median Income in Fresno is $66,804.

  • The Home Value To Income in Fresno is 5.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Fresno is 0.24x.

Statistic Fresno California United States
Median Home Value $386,172 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,324 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $66,804 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.8x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.21x
$386,172
Median Home Value
$1,324
Median Rent
$66,804
Median Income

Fresno, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Fresno Services Costs Vs. California

Item Fresno California
Shampoo $1.56 $1.28
Movie $14.64 $12.13
Bowling $23.78 $18
Haircut $26.83 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.57 $45.56

Detailed Fresno Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Fresno California
Ground Beef $6.21 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.1 $1.57
Milk $4.99 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $15.69 $12.09
Beer $10.96 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.86 $3.7

Detailed Fresno Health Costs Vs. California

Item Fresno California
Optometrist $157.88 $125.68
Doctor $166.71 $135.78
Dentist $148.27 $113.29

Detailed Fresno Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Fresno California
Gasoline $4.63 $3.46
Tire Balancing $70.51 $59.92

Detailed Fresno Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Fresno California
All Electricity $299.78 $193.99
Phone $191.56 $192.25

Fresno SnackAbility

5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
8.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
10
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Fresno

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

  • Clovis, CA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.1x Fresno.

  • Sanger, CA has a cost of living index of 119, 1.0x Fresno.

  • Selma, CA has a cost of living index of 113, 1.0x Fresno.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Fresno
Clovis, CA 122,719 128 1.1x
Sanger, CA 26,515 119 1.0x
Selma, CA 24,586 113 1.0x
Kerman, CA 16,492 114 1.0x
Parlier, CA 14,545 106 0.9x
Fowler, CA 6,930 121 1.0x
Old Fig Garden, CA 5,387 132 1.1x

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