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 337, which is 3.4x 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 142.
The standard of living in Menlo Park ranks as #620 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Menlo Park ranks as the #14 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Menlo Park, check out:
Menlo Park Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Menlo Park. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Menlo Park is 110.
The Groceries index in Menlo Park is 113.
The Health index in Menlo Park is 857.
The Housing index in Menlo Park is 118.
The Transportation index in Menlo Park is 112.
The Utilities index in Menlo Park is 112.
| Living Expense | Menlo Park | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 337 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 113 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 857 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 118 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 112 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 112 | 121 | 100 |
Menlo Park 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 Menlo Park Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Menlo Park is $2,865,158.
The Median Rent in Menlo Park is $3,239.
The Median Income in Menlo Park is $210,025.
The Home Value To Income in Menlo Park is 13.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Menlo Park is 0.19x.
| Statistic | Menlo Park | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,865,158 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $3,239 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $210,025 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 13.6x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.19x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
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
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 271, 0.8x Menlo Park.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 250, 0.7x Menlo Park.
Pleasanton, CA has a cost of living index of 232, 0.7x Menlo Park.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Menlo Park |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 154,236 | 271 | 0.8x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,105 | 250 | 0.7x |
| Pleasanton, CA | 76,960 | 232 | 0.7x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,237 | 341 | 1.0x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,566 | 329 | 1.0x |
| Newark, CA | 46,903 | 194 | 0.6x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,307 | 214 | 0.6x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,698 | 341 | 1.0x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,614 | 311 | 0.9x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,171 | 170 | 0.5x |
