Richmond, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Richmond, CA Summary

Cost of living in Richmond 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 Richmond 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 Richmond is 158, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Richmond ranks as the #363 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Richmond ranks as the #5,857 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Richmond is $590,209.

  • The median income in Richmond is $90,038.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
158
Richmond's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Richmond, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Richmond has an overall cost of living index of 158, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Richmond has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Richmond ranks as #363 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Richmond ranks as the #271 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Richmond, check out:

363 out of 634
In California
5,857 out of 6,489
In America

Richmond Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Richmond is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Richmond is 119.

  • The Health index in Richmond is 120.

  • The Housing index in Richmond is 242.

  • The Transportation index in Richmond is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Richmond is 135.

Living Expense Richmond California National Average
Overall 158 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 119 112 100
Health 120 110 100
Housing 242 195 100
Transportation 130 125 100
Utilities 135 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Richmond Cost of Living Vs. CA

Richmond, 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 Richmond is $590,209.

  • The Median Rent in Richmond is $1,895.

  • The Median Income in Richmond is $90,038.

  • The Home Value To Income in Richmond is 6.6x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Richmond is 0.25x.

Statistic Richmond California United States
Median Home Value $590,209 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,895 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $90,038 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 6.6x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.21x
$590,209
Median Home Value
$1,895
Median Rent
$90,038
Median Income

Richmond, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Richmond Services Costs Vs. California

Item Richmond California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed Richmond Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Richmond California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed Richmond Health Costs Vs. California

Item Richmond California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed Richmond Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Richmond California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed Richmond Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Richmond California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Richmond SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
3
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Richmond

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

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.8x Richmond.

  • San Pablo, CA has a cost of living index of 143, 0.9x Richmond.

  • Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 1.1x Richmond.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Richmond
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 1.8x
San Pablo, CA 31,771 143 0.9x
Hercules, CA 26,245 173 1.1x
El Cerrito, CA 25,781 199 1.3x
Lafayette, CA 25,277 284 1.8x
American Canyon, CA 21,698 162 1.0x
Orinda, CA 19,472 280 1.8x
Pinole, CA 18,835 166 1.1x
Piedmont, CA 11,012 340 2.2x
Fairfax, CA 7,523 205 1.3x

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