Monterey, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Monterey, CA Summary
Cost of living in Monterey 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 Monterey 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 Monterey is 190, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Monterey is 1.9x higher than the national average.
Monterey ranks as the #502 cheapest in California out of 634.
Monterey ranks as the #6,260 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Monterey is $1,159,228.
The median income in Monterey is $104,110.
Table Of Contents
Monterey's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Monterey, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Monterey has an overall cost of living index of 190, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Monterey has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Monterey ranks as #502 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Monterey ranks as the #132 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Monterey, check out:
In California
In America
Monterey Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Monterey. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Monterey is 108.
The Groceries index in Monterey is 117.
The Health index in Monterey is 122.
The Housing index in Monterey is 368.
The Transportation index in Monterey is 128.
The Utilities index in Monterey is 132.
| Living Expense | Monterey | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 190 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 122 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 368 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 132 | 128 | 100 | |
Monterey, 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 Monterey is $1,159,228.
The Median Rent in Monterey is $2,288.
The Median Income in Monterey is $104,110.
The Home Value To Income in Monterey is 11.1x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Monterey is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Monterey | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,159,228 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,288 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $104,110 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.1x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Monterey, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Monterey Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Monterey | 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 Monterey Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Monterey | 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 Monterey Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Monterey | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Monterey Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Monterey | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Monterey Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Monterey | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Monterey SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Monterey
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Monterey. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Salinas, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.8x Monterey.
Seaside, CA has a cost of living index of 162, 0.9x Monterey.
Marina, CA has a cost of living index of 159, 0.8x Monterey.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Monterey |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salinas, CA | 161,993 | 149 | 0.8x |
| Seaside, CA | 31,964 | 162 | 0.9x |
| Marina, CA | 22,324 | 159 | 0.8x |
| Prunedale, CA | 19,286 | 165 | 0.9x |
| Pacific Grove, CA | 15,003 | 203 | 1.1x |
| Castroville, CA | 6,870 | 158 | 0.8x |
