Modesto, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Modesto, CA Summary
Cost of living in Modesto 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 Modesto 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 Modesto is 125, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Modesto is 1.2x higher than the national average.
Modesto ranks as the #148 cheapest in California out of 634.
Modesto ranks as the #4,715 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Modesto is $442,262.
The median income in Modesto is $77,899.
Table Of Contents
Modesto's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Modesto, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Modesto has an overall cost of living index of 125, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Modesto has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Modesto ranks as #148 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Modesto ranks as the #486 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Modesto, check out:
In California
In America
Modesto Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Modesto. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Modesto is 102.
The Groceries index in Modesto is 106.
The Health index in Modesto is 98.
The Housing index in Modesto is 156.
The Transportation index in Modesto is 120.
The Utilities index in Modesto is 141.
| Living Expense | Modesto | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 125 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 102 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 106 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 156 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 120 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 141 | 128 | 100 | |
Modesto, 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 Modesto is $442,262.
The Median Rent in Modesto is $1,609.
The Median Income in Modesto is $77,899.
The Home Value To Income in Modesto is 5.7x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Modesto is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Modesto | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $442,262 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,609 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $77,899 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.7x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Modesto, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Modesto Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Modesto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.56 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $14.64 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $23.78 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.83 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $76.57 | $45.56 |
Detailed Modesto Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Modesto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.21 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.1 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.99 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.96 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.86 | $3.7 |
Detailed Modesto Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Modesto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $157.88 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $166.71 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $148.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Modesto Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Modesto | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $70.51 | $59.92 |
Detailed Modesto Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Modesto | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $299.78 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $191.56 | $192.25 |
Modesto SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Modesto
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Modesto. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Turlock, CA has a cost of living index of 127, 1.0x Modesto.
Ceres, CA has a cost of living index of 124, 1.0x Modesto.
Riverbank, CA has a cost of living index of 128, 1.0x Modesto.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turlock, CA | 72,400 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Ceres, CA | 48,918 | 124 | 1.0x |
| Riverbank, CA | 24,881 | 128 | 1.0x |
| Oakdale, CA | 23,155 | 127 | 1.0x |
| Ripon, CA | 16,117 | 147 | 1.2x |
| Salida, CA | 14,457 | 130 | 1.0x |
| Delhi, CA | 10,525 | 118 | 0.9x |
| Waterford, CA | 9,177 | 117 | 0.9x |
| Hughson, CA | 7,541 | 131 | 1.0x |
| Escalon, CA | 7,429 | 141 | 1.1x |
