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 281, 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 142.
The standard of living in Lafayette ranks as #601 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Lafayette ranks as the #33 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Lafayette, check out:
Lafayette Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Lafayette. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Lafayette is 115.
The Groceries index in Lafayette is 112.
The Health index in Lafayette is 658.
The Housing index in Lafayette is 123.
The Transportation index in Lafayette is 123.
The Utilities index in Lafayette is 120.
| Living Expense | Lafayette | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 281 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 115 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 112 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 658 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 123 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 123 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 120 | 121 | 100 |
Lafayette 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 Lafayette Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Lafayette is $1,934,580.
The Median Rent in Lafayette is $2,892.
The Median Income in Lafayette is $228,250.
The Home Value To Income in Lafayette is 8.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Lafayette is 0.15x.
| Statistic | Lafayette | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,934,580 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,892 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $228,250 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.5x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.15x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
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
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 221, 0.8x Lafayette.
Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 287, 1.0x Lafayette.
Dublin, CA has a cost of living index of 215, 0.8x Lafayette.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Ramon, CA | 85,993 | 221 | 0.8x |
| Mountain View, CA | 83,732 | 287 | 1.0x |
| Dublin, CA | 70,803 | 215 | 0.8x |
| Walnut Creek, CA | 70,088 | 198 | 0.7x |
| Danville, CA | 43,401 | 233 | 0.8x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,171 | 170 | 0.6x |
| Hercules, CA | 26,302 | 170 | 0.6x |
| Orinda, CA | 19,514 | 274 | 1.0x |
| Moraga, CA | 16,769 | 242 | 0.9x |
| Piedmont, CA | 10,945 | 349 | 1.2x |
