Los Altos, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 340, 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 #633 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Los Altos ranks as the #6,409 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Los Altos is $2,000,001.

  • The median income in Los Altos is $250,001.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
340
Los Altos's Overall Cost Of Living
3.4x
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 340, 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 139.

The standard of living in Los Altos ranks as #633 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Los Altos ranks as the #2 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Los Altos, check out:

633 out of 635
In California
6,409 out of 6,412
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 118.

  • The Groceries index in Los Altos is 131.

  • The Health index in Los Altos is 123.

  • The Housing index in Los Altos is 843.

  • The Transportation index in Los Altos is 142.

  • The Utilities index in Los Altos is 137.

Living Expense Los Altos California National Average
Overall 340 139 100
Services 118 110 100
Groceries 131 112 100
Health 123 109 100
Housing 843 204 100
Transportation 142 126 100
Utilities 137 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Los Altos Cost of Living Vs. CA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Los Altos is $2,000,001.

  • 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 8.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Los Altos is 0.17x.

Statistic Los Altos California United States
Median Home Value $2,000,001 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $3,501 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $250,001 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.0x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Los Altos, CA
$2,000,001
Median Home Value
$3,501
Median Rent
$250,001
Median Income

Los Altos, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Los Altos Services Costs Vs. California

Item Los Altos California
Shampoo $1.39 $1.06
Movie $13.23 $10.68
Bowling $19.56 $14.67
Haircut $19.39 $18.62
Beauty Salon $67.86 $39.05

Detailed Los Altos Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Los Altos California
Ground Beef $3.73 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.89 $1.39
Milk $2.87 $2.05
Potatoes $3.35 $3.29
Pizza $12.66 $10.62
Beer $10.57 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.07 $2.34

Detailed Los Altos Health Costs Vs. California

Item Los Altos California
Optometrist $136.92 $108.57
Doctor $146.83 $116.17
Dentist $133.38 $99.13

Detailed Los Altos Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Los Altos California
Gasoline $3.38 $2.22
Tire Balancing $62.03 $50.07

Detailed Los Altos Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Los Altos California
All Electricity $269.4 $167.67
Phone $187.26 $175.64

Los Altos SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
8.5
Amenities
9.5
Education
10
Commute
8

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 204, 0.6x Los Altos.

  • Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 192, 0.6x Los Altos.

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 205, 0.6x Los Altos.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Los Altos
Sunnyvale, CA 155,550 204 0.6x
Santa Clara, CA 127,922 192 0.6x
San Mateo, CA 105,087 205 0.6x
Mountain View, CA 82,409 220 0.6x
Palo Alto, CA 68,624 303 0.9x
Cupertino, CA 60,681 252 0.7x
Menlo Park, CA 33,677 289 0.8x
San Carlos, CA 30,754 237 0.7x
East Palo Alto, CA 29,888 160 0.5x
Belmont, CA 28,109 231 0.7x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?