What is the cost of living in Huntington Beach, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Huntington Beach has an overall cost of living index of 194, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Huntington Beach has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Huntington Beach ranks as #505 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Huntington Beach ranks as the #129 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Huntington Beach, check out:
Huntington Beach Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Huntington Beach. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Huntington Beach is 112.
The Groceries index in Huntington Beach is 118.
The Health index in Huntington Beach is 373.
The Housing index in Huntington Beach is 120.
The Transportation index in Huntington Beach is 122.
The Utilities index in Huntington Beach is 124.
| Living Expense | Huntington Beach | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 194 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 112 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 118 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 373 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 120 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 122 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 124 | 121 | 100 |
Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach is $1,366,657.
The Median Rent in Huntington Beach is $2,510.
The Median Income in Huntington Beach is $120,919.
The Home Value To Income in Huntington Beach is 11.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Huntington Beach is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Huntington Beach | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,366,657 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,510 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $120,919 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.3x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Huntington Beach, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Huntington Beach Services costs vs. California
| Item | Huntington Beach | 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 Huntington Beach Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Huntington Beach | 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 Huntington Beach Health costs vs. California
| Item | Huntington Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Huntington Beach Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Huntington Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed Huntington Beach Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Huntington Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Huntington Beach SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Huntington Beach
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Huntington Beach. 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 161, 0.8x Huntington Beach.
Garden Grove, CA has a cost of living index of 167, 0.9x Huntington Beach.
Costa Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 198, 1.0x Huntington Beach.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Huntington Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana, CA | 312,534 | 161 | 0.8x |
| Garden Grove, CA | 170,964 | 167 | 0.9x |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 110,330 | 198 | 1.0x |
| Westminster, CA | 89,860 | 171 | 0.9x |
| Lake Forest, CA | 86,281 | 182 | 0.9x |
| Lakewood, CA | 79,850 | 166 | 0.9x |
| Yorba Linda, CA | 67,170 | 203 | 1.0x |
| Fountain Valley, CA | 56,258 | 188 | 1.0x |
| Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,113 | 175 | 0.9x |
| Cypress, CA | 49,498 | 178 | 0.9x |
