Pasadena, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Pasadena, CA Summary
Cost of living in Pasadena 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 Pasadena 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 Pasadena is 189, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Pasadena is 1.9x higher than the national average.
Pasadena ranks as the #500 cheapest in California out of 634.
Pasadena ranks as the #6,256 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Pasadena is $1,179,361.
The median income in Pasadena is $103,778.
Table Of Contents
Pasadena's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Pasadena, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Pasadena has an overall cost of living index of 189, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Pasadena has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Pasadena ranks as #500 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Pasadena ranks as the #134 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Pasadena, check out:
In California
In America
Pasadena Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Pasadena. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Pasadena is 114.
The Groceries index in Pasadena is 113.
The Health index in Pasadena is 107.
The Housing index in Pasadena is 370.
The Transportation index in Pasadena is 126.
The Utilities index in Pasadena is 110.
| Living Expense | Pasadena | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 189 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 370 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 126 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 128 | 100 | |
Pasadena, 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 Pasadena is $1,179,361.
The Median Rent in Pasadena is $2,218.
The Median Income in Pasadena is $103,778.
The Home Value To Income in Pasadena is 11.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Pasadena is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Pasadena | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,179,361 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,218 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $103,778 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.4x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Pasadena, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Pasadena Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.41 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.46 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.07 | $18 |
| Haircut | $24.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed Pasadena Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.26 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.08 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $16.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.6 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.76 | $3.7 |
Detailed Pasadena Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.09 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $119.86 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.07 | $113.29 |
Detailed Pasadena Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.47 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed Pasadena Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $326.49 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.78 | $192.25 |
Pasadena SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Pasadena
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Pasadena. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Alhambra, CA has a cost of living index of 169, 0.9x Pasadena.
La Mirada, CA has a cost of living index of 163, 0.9x Pasadena.
Altadena, CA has a cost of living index of 187, 1.0x Pasadena.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Pasadena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alhambra, CA | 81,483 | 169 | 0.9x |
| La Mirada, CA | 46,945 | 163 | 0.9x |
| Altadena, CA | 41,921 | 187 | 1.0x |
| San Gabriel, CA | 38,764 | 178 | 0.9x |
| Walnut, CA | 27,857 | 194 | 1.0x |
| South Pasadena, CA | 26,297 | 226 | 1.2x |
| San Fernando, CA | 23,716 | 148 | 0.8x |
| East San Gabriel, CA | 23,521 | 187 | 1.0x |
| West Puente Valley, CA | 22,198 | 151 | 0.8x |
| Valinda, CA | 21,626 | 145 | 0.8x |
