Salinas, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Salinas, CA Summary
Cost of living in Salinas 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 Salinas 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 Salinas is 149, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Salinas is 1.5x higher than the national average.
Salinas ranks as the #311 cheapest in California out of 634.
Salinas ranks as the #5,665 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Salinas is $732,006.
The median income in Salinas is $89,150.
Table Of Contents
Salinas's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Salinas, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Salinas has an overall cost of living index of 149, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Salinas has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Salinas ranks as #311 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Salinas ranks as the #323 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Salinas, check out:
In California
In America
Salinas Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Salinas. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Salinas is 110.
The Groceries index in Salinas is 117.
The Health index in Salinas is 125.
The Housing index in Salinas is 219.
The Transportation index in Salinas is 132.
The Utilities index in Salinas is 133.
| Living Expense | Salinas | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 149 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 125 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 219 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 132 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 133 | 128 | 100 | |
Salinas, 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 Salinas is $732,006.
The Median Rent in Salinas is $1,923.
The Median Income in Salinas is $89,150.
The Home Value To Income in Salinas is 8.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Salinas is 0.26x.
| Statistic | Salinas | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $732,006 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,923 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $89,150 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.2x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Salinas, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Salinas Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Salinas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.66 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.31 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $33.3 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.94 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.51 | $45.56 |
Detailed Salinas Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Salinas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.13 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.05 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.77 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.92 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
Detailed Salinas Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Salinas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Salinas Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Salinas | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Salinas Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Salinas | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Salinas SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Salinas
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Salinas. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Watsonville, CA has a cost of living index of 152, 1.0x Salinas.
Hollister, CA has a cost of living index of 157, 1.1x Salinas.
Seaside, CA has a cost of living index of 162, 1.1x Salinas.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Salinas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville, CA | 51,968 | 152 | 1.0x |
| Hollister, CA | 43,003 | 157 | 1.1x |
| Seaside, CA | 31,964 | 162 | 1.1x |
| Monterey, CA | 29,772 | 190 | 1.3x |
| Marina, CA | 22,324 | 159 | 1.1x |
| Prunedale, CA | 19,286 | 165 | 1.1x |
| Pacific Grove, CA | 15,003 | 203 | 1.4x |
| Gonzales, CA | 8,526 | 138 | 0.9x |
| Interlaken, CA | 8,191 | 163 | 1.1x |
| Castroville, CA | 6,870 | 158 | 1.1x |
