Orinda, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Orinda, CA Summary

Cost of living in Orinda 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 Orinda 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 Orinda is 280, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Orinda is 2.8x higher than the national average.

  • Orinda ranks as the #601 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Orinda ranks as the #6,453 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Orinda is $1,887,931.

  • The median income in Orinda is $250,001.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
280
Orinda's Overall Cost Of Living
2.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Orinda, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Orinda has an overall cost of living index of 280, which is 2.8x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Orinda has a cost of living index that's 2.0x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Orinda ranks as #601 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Orinda ranks as the #33 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Orinda, check out:

601 out of 634
In California
6,453 out of 6,489
In America

Orinda Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Orinda is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Orinda is 116.

  • The Health index in Orinda is 120.

  • The Housing index in Orinda is 651.

  • The Transportation index in Orinda is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Orinda is 135.

Living Expense Orinda California National Average
Overall 280 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 120 110 100
Housing 651 195 100
Transportation 130 125 100
Utilities 135 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Orinda Cost of Living Vs. CA

Orinda, 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 Orinda is $1,887,931.

  • The Median Rent in Orinda is $2,407.

  • The Median Income in Orinda is $250,001.

  • The Home Value To Income in Orinda is 7.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Orinda is 0.12x.

Statistic Orinda California United States
Median Home Value $1,887,931 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,407 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $250,001 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.6x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.12x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,887,931
Median Home Value
$2,407
Median Rent
$250,001
Median Income

Orinda, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Orinda Services Costs Vs. California

Item Orinda 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 Orinda Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Orinda 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 Orinda Health Costs Vs. California

Item Orinda California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed Orinda Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Orinda California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed Orinda Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Orinda California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Orinda SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
9
Amenities
8.5
Education
10
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Orinda

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

  • San Ramon, CA has a cost of living index of 222, 0.8x Orinda.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.0x Orinda.

  • Dublin, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 0.8x Orinda.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Orinda
San Ramon, CA 85,734 222 0.8x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 1.0x
Dublin, CA 70,542 218 0.8x
South San Francisco, CA 64,487 213 0.8x
Danville, CA 43,426 240 0.9x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.6x
Lafayette, CA 25,277 284 1.0x
Moraga, CA 16,790 241 0.9x
Piedmont, CA 11,012 340 1.2x
Fairview, CA 10,033 186 0.7x

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