Novato, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Novato, CA Summary
Cost of living in Novato 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 Novato 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 Novato is 196, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Novato is 2.0x higher than the national average.
Novato ranks as the #518 cheapest in California out of 634.
Novato ranks as the #6,296 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Novato is $1,043,022.
The median income in Novato is $112,193.
Table Of Contents
Novato's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Novato, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Novato has an overall cost of living index of 196, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Novato has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Novato ranks as #518 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Novato ranks as the #116 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Novato, check out:
In California
In America
Novato Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Novato. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Novato is 118.
The Groceries index in Novato is 125.
The Health index in Novato is 126.
The Housing index in Novato is 367.
The Transportation index in Novato is 133.
The Utilities index in Novato is 137.
| Living Expense | Novato | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 196 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 118 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 125 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 126 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 367 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 133 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 137 | 128 | 100 | |
Novato, 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 Novato is $1,043,022.
The Median Rent in Novato is $2,422.
The Median Income in Novato is $112,193.
The Home Value To Income in Novato is 9.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Novato is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Novato | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,043,022 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,422 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $112,193 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.3x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Novato, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Novato Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Novato | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.65 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.02 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.01 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.38 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $85.43 | $45.56 |
Detailed Novato Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Novato | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.23 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.11 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.18 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.74 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.21 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $4.09 | $3.7 |
Detailed Novato Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Novato | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $159.79 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $174.45 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $155.36 | $113.29 |
Detailed Novato Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Novato | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $75.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed Novato Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Novato | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $298.77 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.63 | $192.25 |
Novato SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Novato
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Novato. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Napa, CA has a cost of living index of 172, 0.9x Novato.
San Rafael, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 1.1x Novato.
Petaluma, CA has a cost of living index of 183, 0.9x Novato.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Novato |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | 78,816 | 172 | 0.9x |
| San Rafael, CA | 60,604 | 218 | 1.1x |
| Petaluma, CA | 59,321 | 183 | 0.9x |
| Hercules, CA | 26,245 | 173 | 0.9x |
| American Canyon, CA | 21,698 | 162 | 0.8x |
| San Anselmo, CA | 12,711 | 235 | 1.2x |
| Cotati, CA | 7,533 | 166 | 0.8x |
| Fairfax, CA | 7,523 | 205 | 1.0x |
| Kentfield, CA | 7,128 | 336 | 1.7x |
| Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA | 6,331 | 234 | 1.2x |
