Half Moon Bay, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Half Moon Bay, CA Summary

Cost of living in Half Moon Bay 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 Half Moon Bay 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 Half Moon Bay is 239, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Half Moon Bay is 2.4x higher than the national average.

  • Half Moon Bay ranks as the #580 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Half Moon Bay ranks as the #6,418 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Half Moon Bay is $1,519,908.

  • The median income in Half Moon Bay is $153,199.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
239
Half Moon Bay's Overall Cost Of Living
2.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Half Moon Bay, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Half Moon Bay has an overall cost of living index of 239, which is 2.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Half Moon Bay has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Half Moon Bay ranks as #580 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Half Moon Bay ranks as the #54 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Half Moon Bay, check out:

580 out of 634
In California
6,418 out of 6,489
In America

Half Moon Bay Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Half Moon Bay is 121.

  • The Groceries index in Half Moon Bay is 125.

  • The Health index in Half Moon Bay is 127.

  • The Housing index in Half Moon Bay is 499.

  • The Transportation index in Half Moon Bay is 132.

  • The Utilities index in Half Moon Bay is 137.

Living Expense Half Moon Bay California National Average
Overall 239 141 100
Services 121 110 100
Groceries 125 112 100
Health 127 110 100
Housing 499 195 100
Transportation 132 125 100
Utilities 137 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Half Moon Bay Cost of Living Vs. CA

Half Moon Bay, 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 Half Moon Bay is $1,519,908.

  • The Median Rent in Half Moon Bay is $2,299.

  • The Median Income in Half Moon Bay is $153,199.

  • The Home Value To Income in Half Moon Bay is 9.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Half Moon Bay is 0.18x.

Statistic Half Moon Bay California United States
Median Home Value $1,519,908 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,299 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $153,199 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,519,908
Median Home Value
$2,299
Median Rent
$153,199
Median Income

Half Moon Bay, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Half Moon Bay Services Costs Vs. California

Item Half Moon Bay California
Shampoo $1.65 $1.28
Movie $16.02 $12.13
Bowling $24.01 $18
Haircut $28.38 $24.26
Beauty Salon $85.43 $45.56

Detailed Half Moon Bay Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Half Moon Bay California
Ground Beef $6.23 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.11 $1.57
Milk $5.18 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $15.74 $12.09
Beer $11.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $4.09 $3.7

Detailed Half Moon Bay Health Costs Vs. California

Item Half Moon Bay California
Optometrist $159.79 $125.68
Doctor $174.45 $135.78
Dentist $155.36 $113.29

Detailed Half Moon Bay Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Half Moon Bay California
Gasoline $4.63 $3.46
Tire Balancing $75.33 $59.92

Detailed Half Moon Bay Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Half Moon Bay California
All Electricity $298.77 $193.99
Phone $203.63 $192.25

Half Moon Bay SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
8.5
Education
8
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Half Moon Bay

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

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 1.0x Half Moon Bay.

  • South San Francisco, CA has a cost of living index of 213, 0.9x Half Moon Bay.

  • San Bruno, CA has a cost of living index of 220, 0.9x Half Moon Bay.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Half Moon Bay
San Mateo, CA 103,555 248 1.0x
South San Francisco, CA 64,487 213 0.9x
San Bruno, CA 42,612 220 0.9x
Pacifica, CA 37,527 220 0.9x
Menlo Park, CA 32,775 334 1.4x
Burlingame, CA 30,526 336 1.4x
San Carlos, CA 29,797 311 1.3x
Belmont, CA 27,505 294 1.2x
Millbrae, CA 22,589 289 1.2x
North Fair Oaks, CA 13,327 214 0.9x

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