Menlo Park, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Menlo Park, CA Summary
Cost of living in Menlo Park 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 Menlo Park 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 Menlo Park is 334, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Menlo Park is 3.3x higher than the national average.
Menlo Park ranks as the #621 cheapest in California out of 634.
Menlo Park ranks as the #6,476 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Menlo Park is $2,694,649.
The median income in Menlo Park is $206,588.
Table Of Contents
Menlo Park's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Menlo Park, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Menlo Park has an overall cost of living index of 334, which is 3.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Menlo Park has a cost of living index that's 2.4x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Menlo Park ranks as #621 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Menlo Park ranks as the #13 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Menlo Park, check out:
In California
In America
Menlo Park Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Menlo Park. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Menlo Park is 107.
The Groceries index in Menlo Park is 116.
The Health index in Menlo Park is 124.
The Housing index in Menlo Park is 838.
The Transportation index in Menlo Park is 128.
The Utilities index in Menlo Park is 131.
| Living Expense | Menlo Park | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 334 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 107 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 116 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 838 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 131 | 128 | 100 | |
Menlo Park, 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 Menlo Park is $2,694,649.
The Median Rent in Menlo Park is $3,156.
The Median Income in Menlo Park is $206,588.
The Home Value To Income in Menlo Park is 13.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Menlo Park is 0.18x.
| Statistic | Menlo Park | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,694,649 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $3,156 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $206,588 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 13.0x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.18x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Menlo Park, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Menlo Park Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Menlo Park | 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 Menlo Park Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Menlo Park | 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 Menlo Park Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Menlo Park | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Menlo Park Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Menlo Park | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Menlo Park Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Menlo Park | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Menlo Park SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Menlo Park
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Menlo Park. 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 Menlo Park.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 0.7x Menlo Park.
Pleasanton, CA has a cost of living index of 226, 0.7x Menlo Park.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Menlo Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 153,455 | 266 | 0.8x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,555 | 248 | 0.7x |
| Pleasanton, CA | 77,500 | 226 | 0.7x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,231 | 334 | 1.0x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,886 | 326 | 1.0x |
| Newark, CA | 47,145 | 198 | 0.6x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,612 | 220 | 0.7x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,736 | 339 | 1.0x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,797 | 311 | 0.9x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,453 | 170 | 0.5x |
