Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 163, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as the #470 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as the #6,036 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Rancho Santa Margarita is $719,800.

  • The median income in Rancho Santa Margarita is $135,350.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
163
Rancho Santa Margarita's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
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 163, which is 1.6x 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 139.

The standard of living in Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as #470 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Rancho Santa Margarita ranks as the #165 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Rancho Santa Margarita, check out:

470 out of 635
In California
6,036 out of 6,412
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 115.

  • The Groceries index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 116.

  • The Health index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 105.

  • The Housing index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 276.

  • The Transportation index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 137.

  • The Utilities index in Rancho Santa Margarita is 90.

Living Expense Rancho Santa Margarita California National Average
Overall 163 139 100
Services 115 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 105 109 100
Housing 276 204 100
Transportation 137 126 100
Utilities 90 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Rancho Santa Margarita Cost of Living Vs. CA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Rancho Santa Margarita is $719,800.

  • The Median Rent in Rancho Santa Margarita is $2,254.

  • The Median Income in Rancho Santa Margarita is $135,350.

  • The Home Value To Income in Rancho Santa Margarita is 5.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Rancho Santa Margarita is 0.2x.

Statistic Rancho Santa Margarita California United States
Median Home Value $719,800 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,254 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $135,350 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.3x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
$719,800
Median Home Value
$2,254
Median Rent
$135,350
Median Income

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Services Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho Santa Margarita California
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $14.48 $10.68
Bowling $24.56 $14.67
Haircut $22.6 $18.62
Beauty Salon $66.25 $39.05

Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho Santa Margarita California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.66 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Health Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho Santa Margarita California
Optometrist $106.53 $108.57
Doctor $100.28 $116.17
Dentist $114.52 $99.13

Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho Santa Margarita California
Gasoline $3.32 $2.22
Tire Balancing $52.6 $50.07

Detailed Rancho Santa Margarita Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Rancho Santa Margarita California
All Electricity $138.7 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Rancho Santa Margarita SnackAbility

10
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
5
Diversity
9
Safety
9
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
5

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 182, 1.1x Rancho Santa Margarita.

  • Orange, CA has a cost of living index of 158, 1.0x Rancho Santa Margarita.

  • Mission Viejo, CA has a cost of living index of 166, 1.0x Rancho Santa Margarita.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Rancho Santa Margarita
Irvine, CA 297,868 182 1.1x
Orange, CA 139,195 158 1.0x
Mission Viejo, CA 93,932 166 1.0x
Lake Forest, CA 85,516 159 1.0x
Laguna Niguel, CA 64,608 177 1.1x
Aliso Viejo, CA 51,943 161 1.0x
San Juan Capistrano, CA 35,319 164 1.0x
Laguna Hills, CA 31,409 170 1.0x
North Tustin, CA 25,708 191 1.2x
Ladera Ranch, CA 25,526 186 1.1x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?