San Luis Obispo, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Luis Obispo, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo 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 Luis Obispo is 172, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Luis Obispo is 1.7x higher than the national average.
San Luis Obispo ranks as the #447 cheapest in California out of 634.
San Luis Obispo ranks as the #6,101 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Luis Obispo is $1,064,445.
The median income in San Luis Obispo is $66,711.
Table Of Contents
San Luis Obispo's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Luis Obispo, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Luis Obispo has an overall cost of living index of 172, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Luis Obispo has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in San Luis Obispo ranks as #447 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Luis Obispo ranks as the #187 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Luis Obispo, check out:
In California
In America
San Luis Obispo Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Luis Obispo. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Luis Obispo is 104.
The Groceries index in San Luis Obispo is 109.
The Health index in San Luis Obispo is 91.
The Housing index in San Luis Obispo is 304.
The Transportation index in San Luis Obispo is 127.
The Utilities index in San Luis Obispo is 159.
| Living Expense | San Luis Obispo | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 172 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 104 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 109 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 91 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 304 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 127 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 159 | 128 | 100 | |
San Luis Obispo, 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 Luis Obispo is $1,064,445.
The Median Rent in San Luis Obispo is $1,906.
The Median Income in San Luis Obispo is $66,711.
The Home Value To Income in San Luis Obispo is 16.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Luis Obispo is 0.34x.
| Statistic | San Luis Obispo | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,064,445 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,906 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $66,711 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 16.0x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.34x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Luis Obispo, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Luis Obispo Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Luis Obispo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.48 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $18.12 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.25 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $89.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed San Luis Obispo Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Luis Obispo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.77 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.63 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.13 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
Detailed San Luis Obispo Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Luis Obispo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $142.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $131.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $131.5 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Luis Obispo Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Luis Obispo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.62 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Luis Obispo Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Luis Obispo | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $231.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $193.81 | $192.25 |
San Luis Obispo SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Luis Obispo
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Luis Obispo. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Atascadero, CA has a cost of living index of 153, 0.9x San Luis Obispo.
Arroyo Grande, CA has a cost of living index of 167, 1.0x San Luis Obispo.
Nipomo, CA has a cost of living index of 162, 0.9x San Luis Obispo.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atascadero, CA | 29,735 | 153 | 0.9x |
| Arroyo Grande, CA | 18,412 | 167 | 1.0x |
| Nipomo, CA | 17,266 | 162 | 0.9x |
| Los Osos, CA | 15,048 | 163 | 0.9x |
| Grover Beach, CA | 12,687 | 157 | 0.9x |
| Morro Bay, CA | 10,717 | 169 | 1.0x |
| Pismo Beach, CA | 8,024 | 185 | 1.1x |
| Oceano, CA | 7,098 | 138 | 0.8x |
