Poway, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Poway, CA Summary

Cost of living in Poway 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 Poway 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 Poway is 176, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Poway is 1.8x higher than the national average.

  • Poway ranks as the #465 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Poway ranks as the #6,146 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Poway is $1,201,095.

  • The median income in Poway is $143,825.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
176
Poway's Overall Cost Of Living
1.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Poway, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Poway has an overall cost of living index of 176, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Poway ranks as #465 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Poway ranks as the #169 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Poway, check out:

465 out of 634
In California
6,146 out of 6,489
In America

Poway Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Poway is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Poway is 117.

  • The Health index in Poway is 105.

  • The Housing index in Poway is 323.

  • The Transportation index in Poway is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Poway is 109.

Living Expense Poway California National Average
Overall 176 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 105 110 100
Housing 323 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 109 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Poway Cost of Living Vs. CA

Poway, 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 Poway is $1,201,095.

  • The Median Rent in Poway is $2,261.

  • The Median Income in Poway is $143,825.

  • The Home Value To Income in Poway is 8.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Poway is 0.19x.

Statistic Poway California United States
Median Home Value $1,201,095 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,261 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $143,825 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.4x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,201,095
Median Home Value
$2,261
Median Rent
$143,825
Median Income

Poway, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Poway Services Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $16.89 $12.13
Bowling $24.67 $18
Haircut $26.92 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.77 $45.56

Detailed Poway Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Ground Beef $5.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.05 $1.57
Milk $4.98 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $14.69 $12.09
Beer $11.25 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Poway Health Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Optometrist $138.66 $125.68
Doctor $132.5 $135.78
Dentist $121.37 $113.29

Detailed Poway Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
Gasoline $4.68 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.4 $59.92

Detailed Poway Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Poway California
All Electricity $223.42 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Poway SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Poway

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

  • San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.0x Poway.

  • Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.8x Poway.

  • Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 195, 1.1x Poway.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Poway
San Diego, CA 1,385,061 170 1.0x
Escondido, CA 149,913 149 0.8x
Carlsbad, CA 114,500 195 1.1x
San Marcos, CA 94,078 162 0.9x
Encinitas, CA 61,585 214 1.2x
Santee, CA 59,485 149 0.8x
La Presa, CA 36,669 143 0.8x
Lemon Grove, CA 27,489 144 0.8x
Ramona, CA 22,829 154 0.9x
Rancho San Diego, CA 22,264 171 1.0x

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