Cost of living in Larkspur 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 Larkspur 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 Larkspur is 257, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Larkspur is 2.6x higher than the national average.
Larkspur ranks as the #590 cheapest in California out of 634.
Larkspur ranks as the #6,433 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Larkspur is $2,002,706.
The median income in Larkspur is $134,744.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Larkspur has an overall cost of living index of 257, which is 2.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Larkspur has a cost of living index that's 1.8x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Larkspur ranks as #590 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Larkspur ranks as the #44 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Larkspur, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Larkspur. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Larkspur is 122.
The Groceries index in Larkspur is 122.
The Health index in Larkspur is 124.
The Housing index in Larkspur is 570.
The Transportation index in Larkspur is 133.
The Utilities index in Larkspur is 137.
| Living Expense | Larkspur | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 257 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 122 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 122 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 570 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 133 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 137 | 128 | 100 | |
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 Larkspur is $2,002,706.
The Median Rent in Larkspur is $2,867.
The Median Income in Larkspur is $134,744.
The Home Value To Income in Larkspur is 14.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Larkspur is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Larkspur | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,002,706 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,867 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $134,744 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 14.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Larkspur | 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 |
| Item | Larkspur | 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 |
| Item | Larkspur | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $159.79 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $174.45 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $155.36 | $113.29 |
| Item | Larkspur | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $75.33 | $59.92 |
| Item | Larkspur | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $298.77 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.63 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Larkspur. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
San Rafael, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 0.8x Larkspur.
Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 0.7x Larkspur.
Mill Valley, CA has a cost of living index of 300, 1.2x Larkspur.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Larkspur |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Rafael, CA | 60,604 | 218 | 0.8x |
| Hercules, CA | 26,245 | 173 | 0.7x |
| Mill Valley, CA | 14,064 | 300 | 1.2x |
| San Anselmo, CA | 12,711 | 235 | 0.9x |
| Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA | 12,153 | 266 | 1.0x |
| Piedmont, CA | 11,012 | 340 | 1.3x |
| Corte Madera, CA | 10,101 | 260 | 1.0x |
| Fairfax, CA | 7,523 | 205 | 0.8x |
| Kentfield, CA | 7,128 | 336 | 1.3x |
| Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA | 6,331 | 234 | 0.9x |