San Bruno, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In San Bruno, CA Summary

Cost of living in San Bruno 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 Bruno 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 Bruno is 220, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in San Bruno is 2.2x higher than the national average.

  • San Bruno ranks as the #560 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • San Bruno ranks as the #6,384 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in San Bruno is $1,253,305.

  • The median income in San Bruno is $135,976.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
220
San Bruno's Overall Cost Of Living
2.2x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Bruno has an overall cost of living index of 220, which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, San Bruno has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in San Bruno ranks as #560 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Bruno ranks as the #74 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

560 out of 634
In California
6,384 out of 6,489
In America

San Bruno Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in San Bruno is 119.

  • The Groceries index in San Bruno is 125.

  • The Health index in San Bruno is 127.

  • The Housing index in San Bruno is 441.

  • The Transportation index in San Bruno is 134.

  • The Utilities index in San Bruno is 136.

Living Expense San Bruno California National Average
Overall 220 141 100
Services 119 110 100
Groceries 125 112 100
Health 127 110 100
Housing 441 195 100
Transportation 134 125 100
Utilities 136 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
San Bruno Cost of Living Vs. CA

San Bruno, 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 Bruno is $1,253,305.

  • The Median Rent in San Bruno is $2,696.

  • The Median Income in San Bruno is $135,976.

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

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in San Bruno is 0.24x.

Statistic San Bruno California United States
Median Home Value $1,253,305 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,696 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $135,976 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,253,305
Median Home Value
$2,696
Median Rent
$135,976
Median Income

San Bruno, CA Costs By Category

Detailed San Bruno Services Costs Vs. California

Item San Bruno 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 Bruno Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item San Bruno 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 Bruno Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed San Bruno Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed San Bruno Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

San Bruno SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Bruno

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

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 1.1x San Bruno.

  • South San Francisco, CA has a cost of living index of 213, 1.0x San Bruno.

  • Pacifica, CA has a cost of living index of 220, 1.0x San Bruno.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. San Bruno
San Mateo, CA 103,555 248 1.1x
South San Francisco, CA 64,487 213 1.0x
Pacifica, CA 37,527 220 1.0x
Menlo Park, CA 32,775 334 1.5x
Burlingame, CA 30,526 336 1.5x
San Carlos, CA 29,797 311 1.4x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.8x
Belmont, CA 27,505 294 1.3x
Millbrae, CA 22,589 289 1.3x
North Fair Oaks, CA 13,327 214 1.0x

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