Lafayette, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Lafayette, CA Summary

Cost of living in Lafayette 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 Lafayette 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 Lafayette is 284, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lafayette is 2.8x higher than the national average.

  • Lafayette ranks as the #604 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Lafayette ranks as the #6,457 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lafayette is $1,830,020.

  • The median income in Lafayette is $222,393.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
284
Lafayette's Overall Cost Of Living
2.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lafayette, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lafayette has an overall cost of living index of 284, which is 2.8x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Lafayette has a cost of living index that's 2.0x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Lafayette ranks as #604 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Lafayette ranks as the #30 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Lafayette, check out:

604 out of 634
In California
6,457 out of 6,489
In America

Lafayette Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Lafayette is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Lafayette is 119.

  • The Health index in Lafayette is 119.

  • The Housing index in Lafayette is 663.

  • The Transportation index in Lafayette is 128.

  • The Utilities index in Lafayette is 133.

Living Expense Lafayette California National Average
Overall 284 141 100
Services 115 110 100
Groceries 119 112 100
Health 119 110 100
Housing 663 195 100
Transportation 128 125 100
Utilities 133 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Lafayette Cost of Living Vs. CA

Lafayette, 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 Lafayette is $1,830,020.

  • The Median Rent in Lafayette is $2,855.

  • The Median Income in Lafayette is $222,393.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lafayette is 8.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lafayette is 0.15x.

Statistic Lafayette California United States
Median Home Value $1,830,020 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,855 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $222,393 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.15x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,830,020
Median Home Value
$2,855
Median Rent
$222,393
Median Income

Lafayette, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Lafayette Services Costs Vs. California

Item Lafayette California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed Lafayette Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Lafayette California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Lafayette Health Costs Vs. California

Item Lafayette California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed Lafayette Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Lafayette California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed Lafayette Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Lafayette California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Lafayette SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
7
Diversity
8
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8.5
Education
10
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lafayette

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

  • San Ramon, CA has a cost of living index of 222, 0.8x Lafayette.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.0x Lafayette.

  • Dublin, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 0.8x Lafayette.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lafayette
San Ramon, CA 85,734 222 0.8x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 1.0x
Dublin, CA 70,542 218 0.8x
Walnut Creek, CA 69,790 199 0.7x
Danville, CA 43,426 240 0.8x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.6x
Hercules, CA 26,245 173 0.6x
Orinda, CA 19,472 280 1.0x
Moraga, CA 16,790 241 0.8x
Piedmont, CA 11,012 340 1.2x

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