What is the cost of living in Los Altos Hills, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Los Altos Hills has an overall cost of living index of 337, which is 3.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Los Altos Hills has a cost of living index that's 2.4x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Los Altos Hills ranks as #620 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Los Altos Hills ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Los Altos Hills, check out:
Los Altos Hills Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Los Altos Hills. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Los Altos Hills is 109.
The Groceries index in Los Altos Hills is 114.
The Health index in Los Altos Hills is 862.
The Housing index in Los Altos Hills is 116.
The Transportation index in Los Altos Hills is 118.
The Utilities index in Los Altos Hills is 118.
| Living Expense | Los Altos Hills | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 337 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 114 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 862 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 116 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 118 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 118 | 121 | 100 |
Los Altos Hills 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 Hills Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Los Altos Hills, 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 Hills is $6,102,344.
The Median Rent in Los Altos Hills is $3,501.
The Median Income in Los Altos Hills is $250,001.
The Home Value To Income in Los Altos Hills is 24.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Los Altos Hills is 0.17x.
| Statistic | Los Altos Hills | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $6,102,344 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $3,501 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $250,001 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 24.4x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.17x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Los Altos Hills, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Los Altos Hills Services costs vs. California
| Item | Los Altos Hills | 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 Hills Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Los Altos Hills | 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 Hills Health costs vs. California
| Item | Los Altos Hills | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Los Altos Hills Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Los Altos Hills | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Los Altos Hills Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Los Altos Hills | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Los Altos Hills SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Los Altos Hills
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Los Altos Hills. 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 Hills.
Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 242, 0.7x Los Altos Hills.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 250, 0.7x Los Altos Hills.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Los Altos Hills |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | 0.9x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,237 | 341 | 1.0x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,566 | 329 | 1.0x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,727 | 337 | 1.0x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,698 | 341 | 1.0x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,614 | 311 | 0.9x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,337 | 286 | 0.8x |
