Lemon Grove, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Lemon Grove, CA Summary

Cost of living in Lemon Grove 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 Lemon Grove 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 Lemon Grove is 144, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Lemon Grove is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Lemon Grove ranks as the #278 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Lemon Grove ranks as the #5,533 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Lemon Grove is $737,699.

  • The median income in Lemon Grove is $79,278.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
144
Lemon Grove's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Lemon Grove, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Lemon Grove has an overall cost of living index of 144, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Lemon Grove has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Lemon Grove ranks as #278 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Lemon Grove ranks as the #356 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Lemon Grove, check out:

278 out of 634
In California
5,533 out of 6,489
In America

Lemon Grove Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Lemon Grove is 113.

  • The Groceries index in Lemon Grove is 116.

  • The Health index in Lemon Grove is 107.

  • The Housing index in Lemon Grove is 218.

  • The Transportation index in Lemon Grove is 128.

  • The Utilities index in Lemon Grove is 106.

Living Expense Lemon Grove California National Average
Overall 144 141 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 107 110 100
Housing 218 195 100
Transportation 128 125 100
Utilities 106 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Lemon Grove Cost of Living Vs. CA

Lemon Grove, 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 Lemon Grove is $737,699.

  • The Median Rent in Lemon Grove is $1,769.

  • The Median Income in Lemon Grove is $79,278.

  • The Home Value To Income in Lemon Grove is 9.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Lemon Grove is 0.27x.

Statistic Lemon Grove California United States
Median Home Value $737,699 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,769 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $79,278 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.3x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.24x 0.21x
$737,699
Median Home Value
$1,769
Median Rent
$79,278
Median Income

Lemon Grove, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Lemon Grove Services Costs Vs. California

Item Lemon Grove California
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $16.89 $12.13
Bowling $24.67 $18
Haircut $26.92 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.77 $45.56

Detailed Lemon Grove Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Lemon Grove California
Ground Beef $5.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.05 $1.57
Milk $4.98 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $14.69 $12.09
Beer $11.25 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Lemon Grove Health Costs Vs. California

Item Lemon Grove California
Optometrist $138.66 $125.68
Doctor $132.5 $135.78
Dentist $121.37 $113.29

Detailed Lemon Grove Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Lemon Grove California
Gasoline $4.68 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.4 $59.92

Detailed Lemon Grove Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Lemon Grove California
All Electricity $223.42 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Lemon Grove SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Lemon Grove

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

  • San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.2x Lemon Grove.

  • Chula Vista, CA has a cost of living index of 157, 1.1x Lemon Grove.

  • El Cajon, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x Lemon Grove.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Lemon Grove
San Diego, CA 1,385,061 170 1.2x
Chula Vista, CA 275,030 157 1.1x
El Cajon, CA 104,909 147 1.0x
La Mesa, CA 60,835 160 1.1x
Santee, CA 59,485 149 1.0x
Poway, CA 48,515 176 1.2x
La Presa, CA 36,669 143 1.0x
Rancho San Diego, CA 22,264 171 1.2x
Winter Gardens, CA 22,003 145 1.0x
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA 19,651 171 1.2x

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