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.
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:
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 | |
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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Item | Pismo Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $142.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $131.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $131.5 | $113.29 |
| Item | Pismo Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.62 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.0 | $59.92 |
| Item | Pismo Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $231.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $193.81 | $192.25 |
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 |