Oakland, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Oakland, CA Summary
Cost of living in Oakland 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 Oakland 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 Oakland is 183, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Oakland is 1.8x higher than the national average.
Oakland ranks as the #482 cheapest in California out of 634.
Oakland ranks as the #6,212 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Oakland is $700,691.
The median income in Oakland is $97,369.
Table Of Contents
Oakland's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Oakland, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oakland has an overall cost of living index of 183, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Oakland has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Oakland ranks as #482 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Oakland ranks as the #152 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Oakland, check out:
In California
In America
Oakland Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Oakland. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Oakland is 115.
The Groceries index in Oakland is 119.
The Health index in Oakland is 122.
The Housing index in Oakland is 326.
The Transportation index in Oakland is 130.
The Utilities index in Oakland is 134.
| Living Expense | Oakland | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 183 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 115 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 119 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 122 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 326 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 130 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 134 | 128 | 100 | |
Oakland, 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 Oakland is $700,691.
The Median Rent in Oakland is $1,917.
The Median Income in Oakland is $97,369.
The Home Value To Income in Oakland is 7.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Oakland is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Oakland | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $700,691 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,917 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $97,369 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.2x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Oakland, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Oakland Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Oakland | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.45 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.46 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $27.22 | $18 |
| Haircut | $25.0 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $76.0 | $45.56 |
Detailed Oakland Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Oakland | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.7 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.43 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.87 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.18 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.64 | $3.7 |
Detailed Oakland Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Oakland | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $137.4 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Oakland Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Oakland | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.6 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.97 | $59.92 |
Detailed Oakland Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Oakland | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.51 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Oakland SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oakland
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Oakland. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Berkeley, CA has a cost of living index of 223, 1.2x Oakland.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 1.4x Oakland.
San Leandro, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 0.9x Oakland.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Oakland |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berkeley, CA | 120,223 | 223 | 1.2x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,555 | 248 | 1.4x |
| San Leandro, CA | 88,531 | 173 | 0.9x |
| San Ramon, CA | 85,734 | 222 | 1.2x |
| Alameda, CA | 76,876 | 208 | 1.1x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,612 | 220 | 1.2x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,797 | 311 | 1.7x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,453 | 170 | 0.9x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,505 | 294 | 1.6x |
| Ashland, CA | 22,784 | 164 | 0.9x |
