San Anselmo, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In San Anselmo, CA Summary

Cost of living in San Anselmo 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 San Anselmo 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 San Anselmo is 235, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in San Anselmo is 2.4x higher than the national average.

  • San Anselmo ranks as the #576 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • San Anselmo ranks as the #6,412 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in San Anselmo is $1,574,966.

  • The median income in San Anselmo is $170,457.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
235
San Anselmo's Overall Cost Of Living
2.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in San Anselmo, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Anselmo has an overall cost of living index of 235, which is 2.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, San Anselmo has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in San Anselmo ranks as #576 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Anselmo ranks as the #58 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in San Anselmo, check out:

576 out of 634
In California
6,412 out of 6,489
In America

San Anselmo Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in San Anselmo is 121.

  • The Groceries index in San Anselmo is 123.

  • The Health index in San Anselmo is 126.

  • The Housing index in San Anselmo is 499.

  • The Transportation index in San Anselmo is 134.

  • The Utilities index in San Anselmo is 135.

Living Expense San Anselmo California National Average
Overall 235 141 100
Services 121 110 100
Groceries 123 112 100
Health 126 110 100
Housing 499 195 100
Transportation 134 125 100
Utilities 135 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
San Anselmo Cost of Living Vs. CA

San Anselmo, 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 San Anselmo is $1,574,966.

  • The Median Rent in San Anselmo is $2,750.

  • The Median Income in San Anselmo is $170,457.

  • The Home Value To Income in San Anselmo is 9.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in San Anselmo is 0.19x.

Statistic San Anselmo California United States
Median Home Value $1,574,966 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,750 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $170,457 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,574,966
Median Home Value
$2,750
Median Rent
$170,457
Median Income

San Anselmo, CA Costs By Category

Detailed San Anselmo Services Costs Vs. California

Item San Anselmo California
Shampoo $1.65 $1.28
Movie $16.02 $12.13
Bowling $24.01 $18
Haircut $28.38 $24.26
Beauty Salon $85.43 $45.56

Detailed San Anselmo Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item San Anselmo California
Ground Beef $6.23 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.11 $1.57
Milk $5.18 $4.67
Potatoes $4.98 $4.93
Pizza $15.74 $12.09
Beer $11.21 $10.41
Toothpaste $4.09 $3.7

Detailed San Anselmo Health Costs Vs. California

Item San Anselmo California
Optometrist $159.79 $125.68
Doctor $174.45 $135.78
Dentist $155.36 $113.29

Detailed San Anselmo Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item San Anselmo California
Gasoline $4.63 $3.46
Tire Balancing $75.33 $59.92

Detailed San Anselmo Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item San Anselmo California
All Electricity $298.77 $193.99
Phone $203.63 $192.25

San Anselmo SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
6
Diversity
7
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Anselmo

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

  • San Rafael, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 0.9x San Anselmo.

  • Petaluma, CA has a cost of living index of 183, 0.8x San Anselmo.

  • Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 0.7x San Anselmo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. San Anselmo
San Rafael, CA 60,604 218 0.9x
Petaluma, CA 59,321 183 0.8x
Hercules, CA 26,245 173 0.7x
Mill Valley, CA 14,064 300 1.3x
Larkspur, CA 12,856 257 1.1x
Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA 12,153 266 1.1x
Corte Madera, CA 10,101 260 1.1x
Fairfax, CA 7,523 205 0.9x
Kentfield, CA 7,128 336 1.4x
Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA 6,331 234 1.0x

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