What is the cost of living in Los Gatos, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Los Gatos has an overall cost of living index of 306, which is 3.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Los Gatos has a cost of living index that's 2.2x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Los Gatos ranks as #611 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Los Gatos ranks as the #23 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Los Gatos, check out:
Los Gatos Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Los Gatos. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Los Gatos is 112.
The Groceries index in Los Gatos is 116.
The Health index in Los Gatos is 753.
The Housing index in Los Gatos is 114.
The Transportation index in Los Gatos is 114.
The Utilities index in Los Gatos is 115.
| Living Expense | Los Gatos | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 306 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 112 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 116 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 753 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 114 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 114 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 115 | 121 | 100 |
Los Gatos 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 Gatos Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Los Gatos, 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 Gatos is $2,705,289.
The Median Rent in Los Gatos is $3,247.
The Median Income in Los Gatos is $217,554.
The Home Value To Income in Los Gatos is 12.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Los Gatos is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Los Gatos | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,705,289 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $3,247 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $217,554 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 12.4x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Los Gatos, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Los Gatos Services costs vs. California
| Item | Los Gatos | 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 Gatos Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Los Gatos | 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 Gatos Health costs vs. California
| Item | Los Gatos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Los Gatos Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Los Gatos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Los Gatos Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Los Gatos | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Los Gatos SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Los Gatos
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Los Gatos. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
San Jose, CA has a cost of living index of 216, 0.7x Los Gatos.
Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 271, 0.9x Los Gatos.
Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 242, 0.8x Los Gatos.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Los Gatos |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | 990,138 | 216 | 0.7x |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 154,236 | 271 | 0.9x |
| Santa Clara, CA | 130,256 | 242 | 0.8x |
| Mountain View, CA | 83,732 | 287 | 0.9x |
| Milpitas, CA | 78,578 | 218 | 0.7x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,237 | 341 | 1.1x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,566 | 329 | 1.1x |
| Campbell, CA | 42,781 | 234 | 0.8x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,698 | 341 | 1.1x |
| Saratoga, CA | 30,319 | 338 | 1.1x |
