Pismo Beach, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Pismo Beach, CA Summary

Cost of living in Pismo Beach 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 Pismo Beach 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 Pismo Beach is 185, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Pismo Beach is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Pismo Beach ranks as the #490 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Pismo Beach ranks as the #6,229 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Pismo Beach is $1,115,550.

  • The median income in Pismo Beach is $112,913.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
185
Pismo Beach's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Pismo Beach, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Pismo Beach has an overall cost of living index of 185, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Pismo Beach has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Pismo Beach ranks as #490 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Pismo Beach ranks as the #144 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Pismo Beach, check out:

490 out of 634
In California
6,229 out of 6,489
In America

Pismo Beach Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Pismo Beach is 106.

  • The Groceries index in Pismo Beach is 108.

  • The Health index in Pismo Beach is 94.

  • The Housing index in Pismo Beach is 343.

  • The Transportation index in Pismo Beach is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Pismo Beach is 158.

Living Expense Pismo Beach California National Average
Overall 185 141 100
Services 106 111 100
Groceries 108 111 100
Health 94 107 100
Housing 343 194 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 158 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Pismo Beach Cost of Living Vs. CA

Pismo Beach, 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 Pismo Beach is $1,115,550.

  • The Median Rent in Pismo Beach is $2,298.

  • The Median Income in Pismo Beach is $112,913.

  • The Home Value To Income in Pismo Beach is 9.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Pismo Beach is 0.24x.

Statistic Pismo Beach California United States
Median Home Value $1,115,550 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,298 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $112,913 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,115,550
Median Home Value
$2,298
Median Rent
$112,913
Median Income

Pismo Beach, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Pismo Beach Services Costs Vs. California

Item Pismo Beach California
Shampoo $1.48 $1.28
Movie $18.12 $12.13
Bowling $22.67 $18.0
Haircut $26.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $89.33 $45.56

Detailed Pismo Beach Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Pismo Beach California
Ground Beef $5.77 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.63 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.9 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.13 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Pismo Beach Health Costs Vs. California

Item Pismo Beach California
Optometrist $142.2 $125.68
Doctor $131.33 $135.78
Dentist $131.5 $113.29

Detailed Pismo Beach Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Pismo Beach California
Gasoline $4.62 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.0 $59.92

Detailed Pismo Beach Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Pismo Beach California
All Electricity $231.4 $193.99
Phone $193.81 $192.25

Pismo Beach SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
7
Safety
3
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
8.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Pismo Beach

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

  • San Luis Obispo, CA has a cost of living index of 172, 0.9x Pismo Beach.

  • Arroyo Grande, CA has a cost of living index of 167, 0.9x Pismo Beach.

  • Nipomo, CA has a cost of living index of 162, 0.9x Pismo Beach.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Pismo Beach
San Luis Obispo, CA 48,039 172 0.9x
Arroyo Grande, CA 18,412 167 0.9x
Nipomo, CA 17,266 162 0.9x
Los Osos, CA 15,048 163 0.9x
Grover Beach, CA 12,687 157 0.8x
Morro Bay, CA 10,717 169 0.9x
Guadalupe, CA 8,422 129 0.7x
Oceano, CA 7,098 138 0.7x

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