Riverside, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Riverside, CA Summary

Cost of living in Riverside 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 Riverside 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 Riverside is 137, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Riverside is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Riverside ranks as the #229 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Riverside ranks as the #5,293 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Riverside is $639,778.

  • The median income in Riverside is $88,575.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
137
Riverside's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Riverside, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Riverside has an overall cost of living index of 137, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Riverside has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Riverside ranks as #229 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Riverside ranks as the #405 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Riverside, check out:

229 out of 634
In California
5,293 out of 6,489
In America

Riverside Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Riverside is 111.

  • The Groceries index in Riverside is 113.

  • The Health index in Riverside is 101.

  • The Housing index in Riverside is 195.

  • The Transportation index in Riverside is 122.

  • The Utilities index in Riverside is 95.

Living Expense Riverside California National Average
Overall 137 141 100
Services 111 110 100
Groceries 113 112 100
Health 101 110 100
Housing 195 195 100
Transportation 122 125 100
Utilities 95 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Riverside Cost of Living Vs. CA

Riverside, 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 Riverside is $639,778.

  • The Median Rent in Riverside is $1,812.

  • The Median Income in Riverside is $88,575.

  • The Home Value To Income in Riverside is 7.2x.

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

Statistic Riverside California United States
Median Home Value $639,778 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,812 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $88,575 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.21x
$639,778
Median Home Value
$1,812
Median Rent
$88,575
Median Income

Riverside, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Riverside Services Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside 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 Riverside Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside 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 Riverside Health Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Riverside Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Riverside Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Riverside SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Riverside

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

  • Rancho Cucamonga, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 1.1x Riverside.

  • Corona, CA has a cost of living index of 150, 1.1x Riverside.

  • Jurupa Valley, CA has a cost of living index of 133, 1.0x Riverside.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Riverside
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 174,693 154 1.1x
Corona, CA 158,839 150 1.1x
Jurupa Valley, CA 106,244 133 1.0x
Upland, CA 78,940 157 1.1x
Chino Hills, CA 78,024 172 1.3x
Eastvale, CA 70,179 168 1.2x
Colton, CA 53,798 123 0.9x
El Cerrito, CA 25,781 199 1.5x
Loma Linda, CA 25,021 136 1.0x
Bloomington, CA 24,324 126 0.9x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?