Los Altos, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Los Altos, CA Summary
Cost of living in Los Altos 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 Los Altos 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 Los Altos is 339, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Los Altos is 3.4x higher than the national average.
Los Altos ranks as the #628 cheapest in California out of 634.
Los Altos ranks as the #6,483 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Los Altos is $4,332,738.
The median income in Los Altos is $250,001.
Table Of Contents
Los Altos's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Los Altos, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Los Altos has an overall cost of living index of 339, which is 3.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Los Altos has a cost of living index that's 2.4x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Los Altos ranks as #628 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Los Altos ranks as the #6 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Los Altos, check out:
In California
In America
Los Altos Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Los Altos. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Los Altos is 108.
The Groceries index in Los Altos is 113.
The Health index in Los Altos is 124.
The Housing index in Los Altos is 866.
The Transportation index in Los Altos is 130.
The Utilities index in Los Altos is 133.
| Living Expense | Los Altos | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 339 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 866 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 130 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 133 | 128 | 100 | |
Los Altos, 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 Los Altos is $4,332,738.
The Median Rent in Los Altos is $3,501.
The Median Income in Los Altos is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in Los Altos is 17.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Los Altos is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Los Altos | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $4,332,738 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $3,501 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $250,001 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 17.3x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Los Altos, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Los Altos Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Altos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.66 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.31 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $33.3 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.94 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.51 | $45.56 |
Detailed Los Altos Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Altos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.13 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.05 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.77 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.92 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
Detailed Los Altos Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Altos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Los Altos Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Altos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Los Altos Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Los Altos | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Los Altos SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Los Altos
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Los Altos. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 266, 0.8x Los Altos.
Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 234, 0.7x Los Altos.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 0.7x Los Altos.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Los Altos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 153,455 | 266 | 0.8x |
| Santa Clara, CA | 129,239 | 234 | 0.7x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,555 | 248 | 0.7x |
| Mountain View, CA | 82,363 | 283 | 0.8x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,231 | 334 | 1.0x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,886 | 326 | 1.0x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,775 | 334 | 1.0x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,797 | 311 | 0.9x |
| East Palo Alto, CA | 29,143 | 207 | 0.6x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,505 | 294 | 0.9x |
