Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Summary
Cost of living in Rancho Santa Margarita 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 Santa Margarita 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 Santa Margarita is 176, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 1.8x higher than the national average.
Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as the #465 cheapest in California out of 634.
Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as the #6,146 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Rancho Santa Margarita is $1,008,115.
The median income in Rancho Santa Margarita is $146,827.
Table Of Contents
Rancho Santa Margarita's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Rancho Santa Margarita has an overall cost of living index of 176, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Rancho Santa Margarita has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as #465 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as the #169 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Rancho Santa Margarita, check out:
In California
In America
Rancho Santa Margarita Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Rancho Santa Margarita. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 113.
The Groceries index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 114.
The Health index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 98.
The Housing index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 326.
The Transportation index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 123.
The Utilities index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 92.
| Living Expense | Rancho Santa Margarita | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 176 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 114 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 98 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 326 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 123 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 92 | 128 | 100 | |
Rancho Santa Margarita, 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 Santa Margarita is $1,008,115.
The Median Rent in Rancho Santa Margarita is $2,481.
The Median Income in Rancho Santa Margarita is $146,827.
The Home Value To Income in Rancho Santa Margarita is 6.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Rancho Santa Margarita is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Rancho Santa Margarita | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,008,115 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,481 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $146,827 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Rancho Santa Margarita | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.34 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.04 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.11 | $18 |
| Haircut | $27.27 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.78 | $45.56 |
Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Rancho Santa Margarita | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.89 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.49 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.92 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.92 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.31 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.26 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.61 | $3.7 |
Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Rancho Santa Margarita | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Rancho Santa Margarita | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Rancho Santa Margarita | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Rancho Santa Margarita SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Rancho Santa Margarita
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Rancho Santa Margarita. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Irvine, CA has a cost of living index of 198, 1.1x Rancho Santa Margarita.
Orange, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.0x Rancho Santa Margarita.
Mission Viejo, CA has a cost of living index of 184, 1.0x Rancho Santa Margarita.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Rancho Santa Margarita |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine, CA | 308,160 | 198 | 1.1x |
| Orange, CA | 138,723 | 170 | 1.0x |
| Mission Viejo, CA | 92,415 | 184 | 1.0x |
| Lake Forest, CA | 85,846 | 175 | 1.0x |
| Laguna Niguel, CA | 64,023 | 197 | 1.1x |
| Aliso Viejo, CA | 51,320 | 174 | 1.0x |
| San Juan Capistrano, CA | 34,998 | 183 | 1.0x |
| Laguna Hills, CA | 30,921 | 184 | 1.0x |
| North Tustin, CA | 26,038 | 204 | 1.2x |
| Ladera Ranch, CA | 23,609 | 202 | 1.1x |
