San Clemente, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In San Clemente, CA Summary

Cost of living in San Clemente 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 Clemente 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 Clemente is 203, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in San Clemente is 2.0x higher than the national average.

  • San Clemente ranks as the #533 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • San Clemente ranks as the #6,330 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in San Clemente is $1,663,935.

  • The median income in San Clemente is $134,735.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
203
San Clemente's Overall Cost Of Living
2.0x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Clemente has an overall cost of living index of 203, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, San Clemente has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in San Clemente ranks as #533 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Clemente ranks as the #101 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

533 out of 634
In California
6,330 out of 6,489
In America

San Clemente Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in San Clemente is 112.

  • The Groceries index in San Clemente is 112.

  • The Health index in San Clemente is 98.

  • The Housing index in San Clemente is 413.

  • The Transportation index in San Clemente is 123.

  • The Utilities index in San Clemente is 92.

Living Expense San Clemente California National Average
Overall 203 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 98 110 100
Housing 413 195 100
Transportation 123 125 100
Utilities 92 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
San Clemente Cost of Living Vs. CA

San Clemente, 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 Clemente is $1,663,935.

  • The Median Rent in San Clemente is $2,398.

  • The Median Income in San Clemente is $134,735.

  • The Home Value To Income in San Clemente is 12.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in San Clemente is 0.21x.

Statistic San Clemente California United States
Median Home Value $1,663,935 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,398 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $134,735 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 12.3x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.21x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,663,935
Median Home Value
$2,398
Median Rent
$134,735
Median Income

San Clemente, CA Costs By Category

Detailed San Clemente Services Costs Vs. California

Item San Clemente 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 San Clemente Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item San Clemente 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 San Clemente Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed San Clemente Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item San Clemente California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed San Clemente Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item San Clemente California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

San Clemente SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Clemente

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

  • Irvine, CA has a cost of living index of 198, 1.0x San Clemente.

  • Mission Viejo, CA has a cost of living index of 184, 0.9x San Clemente.

  • Lake Forest, CA has a cost of living index of 175, 0.9x San Clemente.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. San Clemente
Irvine, CA 308,160 198 1.0x
Mission Viejo, CA 92,415 184 0.9x
Lake Forest, CA 85,846 175 0.9x
Laguna Niguel, CA 64,023 197 1.0x
Aliso Viejo, CA 51,320 174 0.9x
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 47,257 176 0.9x
San Juan Capistrano, CA 34,998 183 0.9x
Dana Point, CA 32,883 205 1.0x
Laguna Hills, CA 30,921 184 0.9x
Ladera Ranch, CA 23,609 202 1.0x

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