Glendale, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Glendale, CA Summary

Cost of living in Glendale 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 Glendale 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 Glendale is 193, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Glendale ranks as the #509 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Glendale ranks as the #6,277 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Glendale is $1,162,084.

  • The median income in Glendale is $84,262.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
193
Glendale's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Glendale, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Glendale has an overall cost of living index of 193, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Glendale has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Glendale ranks as #509 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Glendale ranks as the #125 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Glendale, check out:

509 out of 634
In California
6,277 out of 6,489
In America

Glendale Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Glendale is 117.

  • The Groceries index in Glendale is 110.

  • The Health index in Glendale is 106.

  • The Housing index in Glendale is 364.

  • The Transportation index in Glendale is 123.

  • The Utilities index in Glendale is 111.

Living Expense Glendale California National Average
Overall 193 141 100
Services 117 110 100
Groceries 110 112 100
Health 106 110 100
Housing 364 195 100
Transportation 123 125 100
Utilities 111 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Glendale Cost of Living Vs. CA

Glendale, 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 Glendale is $1,162,084.

  • The Median Rent in Glendale is $2,095.

  • The Median Income in Glendale is $84,262.

  • The Home Value To Income in Glendale is 13.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Glendale is 0.3x.

Statistic Glendale California United States
Median Home Value $1,162,084 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,095 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $84,262 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 13.8x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.3x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,162,084
Median Home Value
$2,095
Median Rent
$84,262
Median Income

Glendale, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Glendale Services Costs Vs. California

Item Glendale California
Shampoo $1.41 $1.28
Movie $13.46 $12.13
Bowling $19.07 $18
Haircut $24.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.33 $45.56

Detailed Glendale Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Glendale California
Ground Beef $6.26 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.08 $1.57
Milk $4.76 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $16.13 $12.09
Beer $9.6 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.76 $3.7

Detailed Glendale Health Costs Vs. California

Item Glendale California
Optometrist $129.09 $125.68
Doctor $119.86 $135.78
Dentist $108.07 $113.29

Detailed Glendale Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Glendale California
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.33 $59.92

Detailed Glendale Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Glendale California
All Electricity $326.49 $193.99
Phone $182.78 $192.25

Glendale SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
8
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Glendale

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

  • Pasadena, CA has a cost of living index of 189, 1.0x Glendale.

  • Alhambra, CA has a cost of living index of 169, 0.9x Glendale.

  • Altadena, CA has a cost of living index of 187, 1.0x Glendale.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Glendale
Pasadena, CA 136,462 189 1.0x
Alhambra, CA 81,483 169 0.9x
Altadena, CA 41,921 187 1.0x
West Hollywood, CA 35,090 180 0.9x
South Pasadena, CA 26,297 226 1.2x
West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA 25,459 148 0.8x
San Fernando, CA 23,716 148 0.8x
West Puente Valley, CA 22,198 151 0.8x
La Crescenta-Montrose, CA 19,940 197 1.0x
Vincent, CA 15,151 146 0.8x

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