What is the cost of living in National City, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, National City has an overall cost of living index of 144, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, National City has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in National City ranks as #260 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies National City ranks as the #374 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in National City, check out:
National City Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in National City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in National City is 108.
The Groceries index in National City is 118.
The Health index in National City is 203.
The Housing index in National City is 120.
The Transportation index in National City is 119.
The Utilities index in National City is 117.
| Living Expense | National City | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 144 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 108 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 118 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 203 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 120 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 119 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 117 | 121 | 100 |
National City 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 National City Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
National City, 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 National City is $688,697.
The Median Rent in National City is $1,692.
The Median Income in National City is $66,841.
The Home Value To Income in National City is 10.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in National City is 0.3x.
| Statistic | National City | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $688,697 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,692 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $66,841 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.3x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.3x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
National City, CA Costs By Category
Detailed National City Services costs vs. California
| Item | National City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.5 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.89 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.92 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.77 | $45.56 |
Detailed National City Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | National City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.05 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.98 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.25 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
Detailed National City Health costs vs. California
| Item | National City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
Detailed National City Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | National City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
Detailed National City Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | National City | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
