San Carlos, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Carlos, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Carlos 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 Carlos 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 Carlos is 311, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Carlos is 3.1x higher than the national average.
San Carlos ranks as the #612 cheapest in California out of 634.
San Carlos ranks as the #6,466 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Carlos is $2,309,778.
The median income in San Carlos is $233,333.
Table Of Contents
San Carlos's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Carlos, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Carlos has an overall cost of living index of 311, which is 3.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Carlos has a cost of living index that's 2.2x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in San Carlos ranks as #612 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Carlos ranks as the #22 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Carlos, check out:
In California
In America
San Carlos Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Carlos. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Carlos is 122.
The Groceries index in San Carlos is 124.
The Health index in San Carlos is 126.
The Housing index in San Carlos is 741.
The Transportation index in San Carlos is 132.
The Utilities index in San Carlos is 135.
| Living Expense | San Carlos | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 311 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 122 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 124 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 126 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 741 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 132 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 135 | 128 | 100 | |
San Carlos, 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 Carlos is $2,309,778.
The Median Rent in San Carlos is $2,802.
The Median Income in San Carlos is $233,333.
The Home Value To Income in San Carlos is 9.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Carlos is 0.14x.
| Statistic | San Carlos | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,309,778 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,802 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $233,333 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.14x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Carlos, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Carlos Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Carlos | 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 Carlos Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Carlos | 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 Carlos Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Carlos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $159.79 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $174.45 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $155.36 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Carlos Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Carlos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $75.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Carlos Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Carlos | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $298.77 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.63 | $192.25 |
San Carlos SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Carlos
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Carlos. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 266, 0.9x San Carlos.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 0.8x San Carlos.
Cupertino, CA has a cost of living index of 326, 1.0x San Carlos.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Carlos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 153,455 | 266 | 0.9x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,555 | 248 | 0.8x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,886 | 326 | 1.0x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,612 | 220 | 0.7x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,775 | 334 | 1.1x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,736 | 339 | 1.1x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,453 | 170 | 0.5x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,505 | 294 | 0.9x |
| Millbrae, CA | 22,589 | 289 | 0.9x |
| North Fair Oaks, CA | 13,327 | 214 | 0.7x |
