Irvine, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Irvine, CA Summary
Cost of living in Irvine 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 Irvine 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 Irvine is 198, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Irvine is 2.0x higher than the national average.
Irvine ranks as the #525 cheapest in California out of 634.
Irvine ranks as the #6,308 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Irvine is $1,550,367.
The median income in Irvine is $129,647.
Table Of Contents
Irvine's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Irvine, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Irvine has an overall cost of living index of 198, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Irvine has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Irvine ranks as #525 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Irvine ranks as the #109 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Irvine, check out:
In California
In America
Irvine Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Irvine. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Irvine is 112.
The Groceries index in Irvine is 111.
The Health index in Irvine is 100.
The Housing index in Irvine is 405.
The Transportation index in Irvine is 125.
The Utilities index in Irvine is 96.
| Living Expense | Irvine | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 198 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 112 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 111 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 100 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 405 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 125 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 128 | 100 | |
Irvine, 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 Irvine is $1,550,367.
The Median Rent in Irvine is $2,893.
The Median Income in Irvine is $129,647.
The Home Value To Income in Irvine is 12.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Irvine is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Irvine | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,550,367 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,893 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $129,647 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 12.0x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Irvine, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Irvine Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Irvine | 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 Irvine Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Irvine | 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 Irvine Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Irvine | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Irvine Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Irvine | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed Irvine Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Irvine | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Irvine SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around Irvine
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Irvine. 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 Irvine.
Costa Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 186, 0.9x Irvine.
Mission Viejo, CA has a cost of living index of 184, 0.9x Irvine.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Irvine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Ana, CA | 311,639 | 154 | 0.8x |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 110,538 | 186 | 0.9x |
| Mission Viejo, CA | 92,415 | 184 | 0.9x |
| Lake Forest, CA | 85,846 | 175 | 0.9x |
| Newport Beach, CA | 84,304 | 325 | 1.6x |
| Tustin, CA | 79,035 | 176 | 0.9x |
| Yorba Linda, CA | 67,407 | 200 | 1.0x |
| Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,320 | 174 | 0.9x |
| Cypress, CA | 49,531 | 172 | 0.9x |
| Rancho Santa Margarita, CA | 47,257 | 176 | 0.9x |
