Orange, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Orange, CA Summary

Cost of living in Orange 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 Orange 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 Orange is 170, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Orange is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Orange ranks as the #434 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Orange ranks as the #6,068 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Orange is $1,096,966.

  • The median income in Orange is $116,945.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
170
Orange's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Orange, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Orange has an overall cost of living index of 170, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Orange has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Orange ranks as #434 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Orange ranks as the #200 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Orange, check out:

434 out of 634
In California
6,068 out of 6,489
In America

Orange Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Orange. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Orange is 111.

  • The Groceries index in Orange is 113.

  • The Health index in Orange is 100.

  • The Housing index in Orange is 318.

  • The Transportation index in Orange is 124.

  • The Utilities index in Orange is 92.

Living Expense Orange California National Average
Overall 170 141 100
Services 111 110 100
Groceries 113 112 100
Health 100 110 100
Housing 318 195 100
Transportation 124 125 100
Utilities 92 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Orange Cost of Living Vs. CA

Orange, 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 Orange is $1,096,966.

  • The Median Rent in Orange is $2,252.

  • The Median Income in Orange is $116,945.

  • The Home Value To Income in Orange is 9.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Orange is 0.23x.

Statistic Orange California United States
Median Home Value $1,096,966 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,252 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $116,945 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.4x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,096,966
Median Home Value
$2,252
Median Rent
$116,945
Median Income

Orange, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Orange Services Costs Vs. California

Item Orange California
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $11.04 $12.13
Bowling $21.11 $18
Haircut $27.27 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.78 $45.56

Detailed Orange Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Orange California
Ground Beef $5.89 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.49 $1.57
Milk $4.92 $4.67
Potatoes $4.92 $4.93
Pizza $15.31 $12.09
Beer $10.26 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.61 $3.7

Detailed Orange Health Costs Vs. California

Item Orange California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Orange Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Orange California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Orange Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Orange California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Orange SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Orange

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Orange. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Anaheim, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x Orange.

  • Santa Ana, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 0.9x Orange.

  • Garden Grove, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x Orange.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Orange
Anaheim, CA 344,553 160 0.9x
Santa Ana, CA 311,639 154 0.9x
Garden Grove, CA 170,603 160 0.9x
Mission Viejo, CA 92,415 184 1.1x
Lake Forest, CA 85,846 175 1.0x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 1.0x
Tustin, CA 79,035 176 1.0x
Fountain Valley, CA 56,358 186 1.1x
Placentia, CA 52,384 169 1.0x
Aliso Viejo, CA 51,320 174 1.0x

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