Rancho San Diego, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Rancho San Diego, CA Summary

Cost of living in Rancho San Diego 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 Rancho San Diego 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 Rancho San Diego is 171, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Rancho San Diego is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Rancho San Diego ranks as the #441 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Rancho San Diego ranks as the #6,086 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rancho San Diego is $937,590.

  • The median income in Rancho San Diego is $118,431.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
171
Rancho San Diego's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Rancho San Diego, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rancho San Diego has an overall cost of living index of 171, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Rancho San Diego ranks as #441 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Rancho San Diego ranks as the #193 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Rancho San Diego, check out:

441 out of 634
In California
6,086 out of 6,489
In America

Rancho San Diego Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Rancho San Diego is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Rancho San Diego is 115.

  • The Health index in Rancho San Diego is 104.

  • The Housing index in Rancho San Diego is 301.

  • The Transportation index in Rancho San Diego is 129.

  • The Utilities index in Rancho San Diego is 105.

Living Expense Rancho San Diego California National Average
Overall 171 141 100
Services 114 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 104 110 100
Housing 301 195 100
Transportation 129 125 100
Utilities 105 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Rancho San Diego Cost of Living Vs. CA

Rancho San Diego, 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 Rancho San Diego is $937,590.

  • The Median Rent in Rancho San Diego is $2,431.

  • The Median Income in Rancho San Diego is $118,431.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rancho San Diego is 7.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rancho San Diego is 0.25x.

Statistic Rancho San Diego California United States
Median Home Value $937,590 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,431 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $118,431 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.21x
$937,590
Median Home Value
$2,431
Median Rent
$118,431
Median Income

Rancho San Diego, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Rancho San Diego Services Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho San Diego 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 Rancho San Diego Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho San Diego 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 Rancho San Diego Health Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho San Diego California
Optometrist $138.66 $125.68
Doctor $132.5 $135.78
Dentist $121.37 $113.29

Detailed Rancho San Diego Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho San Diego California
Gasoline $4.68 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.4 $59.92

Detailed Rancho San Diego Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho San Diego California
All Electricity $223.42 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Rancho San Diego SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rancho San Diego

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rancho San Diego. 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 Rancho San Diego.

  • El Cajon, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 0.9x Rancho San Diego.

  • La Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x Rancho San Diego.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rancho San Diego
San Diego, CA 1,385,061 170 1.0x
El Cajon, CA 104,909 147 0.9x
La Mesa, CA 60,835 160 0.9x
Santee, CA 59,485 149 0.9x
Poway, CA 48,515 176 1.0x
La Presa, CA 36,669 143 0.8x
Lemon Grove, CA 27,489 144 0.8x
Winter Gardens, CA 22,003 145 0.8x
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA 19,651 171 1.0x
Coronado, CA 18,558 294 1.7x

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