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 341, 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 142.
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:
Los Altos Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Los Altos. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Los Altos is 112.
The Groceries index in Los Altos is 115.
The Health index in Los Altos is 867.
The Housing index in Los Altos is 115.
The Transportation index in Los Altos is 120.
The Utilities index in Los Altos is 118.
| Living Expense | Los Altos | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 341 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 112 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 867 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 115 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 120 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 118 | 121 | 100 |
Los Altos Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Los Altos Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Los Altos is $4,713,314.
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 18.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Los Altos is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Los Altos | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $4,713,314 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $3,501 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $250,001 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 18.9x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
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
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 271, 0.8x Los Altos.
Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 242, 0.7x Los Altos.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 250, 0.7x Los Altos.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Los Altos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 154,236 | 271 | 0.8x |
| Santa Clara, CA | 130,256 | 242 | 0.7x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,105 | 250 | 0.7x |
| Mountain View, CA | 83,732 | 287 | 0.8x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,237 | 341 | 1.0x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,566 | 329 | 1.0x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,727 | 337 | 1.0x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,614 | 311 | 0.9x |
| East Palo Alto, CA | 29,069 | 211 | 0.6x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,337 | 286 | 0.8x |
