Cost of living in Long Beach 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 Long Beach 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 Long Beach is 158, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Long Beach is 1.6x higher than the national average.
Long Beach ranks as the #363 cheapest in California out of 634.
Long Beach ranks as the #5,857 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Long Beach is $835,128.
The median income in Long Beach is $83,969.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Long Beach has an overall cost of living index of 158, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Long Beach has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Long Beach ranks as #363 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Long Beach ranks as the #271 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Long Beach, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Long Beach. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Long Beach is 113.
The Groceries index in Long Beach is 114.
The Health index in Long Beach is 98.
The Housing index in Long Beach is 263.
The Transportation index in Long Beach is 123.
The Utilities index in Long Beach is 92.
| Living Expense | Long Beach | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 158 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 114 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 263 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 123 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 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 Long Beach is $835,128.
The Median Rent in Long Beach is $1,803.
The Median Income in Long Beach is $83,969.
The Home Value To Income in Long Beach is 9.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Long Beach is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Long Beach | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $835,128 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,803 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $83,969 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Long Beach | 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 |
| Item | Long Beach | 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 |
| Item | Long Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
| Item | Long Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
| Item | Long Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Long Beach. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Carson, CA has a cost of living index of 153, 1.0x Long Beach.
Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 1.0x Long Beach.
Bellflower, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 0.9x Long Beach.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Long Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carson, CA | 93,523 | 153 | 1.0x |
| Lakewood, CA | 80,510 | 164 | 1.0x |
| Bellflower, CA | 77,396 | 147 | 0.9x |
| Paramount, CA | 52,546 | 140 | 0.9x |
| Placentia, CA | 52,384 | 169 | 1.1x |
| Cypress, CA | 49,531 | 172 | 1.1x |
| La Mirada, CA | 46,945 | 163 | 1.0x |
| Seal Beach, CA | 24,868 | 142 | 0.9x |
| West Puente Valley, CA | 22,198 | 151 | 1.0x |
| Artesia, CA | 16,044 | 162 | 1.0x |