Cost of living in Newark 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 Newark 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 Newark is 198, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Newark is 2.0x higher than the national average.
Newark ranks as the #525 cheapest in California out of 634.
Newark ranks as the #6,308 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Newark is $1,218,602.
The median income in Newark is $164,909.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Newark has an overall cost of living index of 198, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Newark has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Newark ranks as #525 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Newark ranks as the #109 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Newark, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Newark. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Newark is 108.
The Groceries index in Newark is 113.
The Health index in Newark is 124.
The Housing index in Newark is 383.
The Transportation index in Newark is 131.
The Utilities index in Newark is 134.
| Living Expense | Newark | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 198 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 383 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 131 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 134 | 128 | 100 | |
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 Newark is $1,218,602.
The Median Rent in Newark is $2,730.
The Median Income in Newark is $164,909.
The Home Value To Income in Newark is 7.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Newark is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Newark | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,218,602 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,730 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $164,909 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.4x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Newark | 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 |
| Item | Newark | 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 |
| Item | Newark | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
| Item | Newark | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
| Item | Newark | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Newark. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Fremont, CA has a cost of living index of 221, 1.1x Newark.
Hayward, CA has a cost of living index of 174, 0.9x Newark.
Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 266, 1.3x Newark.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Newark |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fremont, CA | 228,518 | 221 | 1.1x |
| Hayward, CA | 159,201 | 174 | 0.9x |
| Sunnyvale, CA | 153,455 | 266 | 1.3x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,555 | 248 | 1.3x |
| San Ramon, CA | 85,734 | 222 | 1.1x |
| Mountain View, CA | 82,363 | 283 | 1.4x |
| Milpitas, CA | 78,216 | 213 | 1.1x |
| Pleasanton, CA | 77,500 | 226 | 1.1x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,231 | 334 | 1.7x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,886 | 326 | 1.6x |