San Marcos, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Marcos, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Marcos 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 Marcos 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 Marcos is 162, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Marcos is 1.6x higher than the national average.
San Marcos ranks as the #386 cheapest in California out of 634.
San Marcos ranks as the #5,933 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Marcos is $935,137.
The median income in San Marcos is $105,286.
Table Of Contents
San Marcos's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Marcos, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Marcos has an overall cost of living index of 162, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Marcos has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in San Marcos ranks as #386 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Marcos ranks as the #248 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Marcos, check out:
In California
In America
San Marcos Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Marcos. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Marcos is 113.
The Groceries index in San Marcos is 115.
The Health index in San Marcos is 107.
The Housing index in San Marcos is 278.
The Transportation index in San Marcos is 128.
The Utilities index in San Marcos is 108.
| Living Expense | San Marcos | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 162 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 113 | 111 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 115 | 111 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 107 | 100 | |
| Housing | 278 | 194 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 128 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 128 | 100 | |
San Marcos, 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 Marcos is $935,137.
The Median Rent in San Marcos is $2,191.
The Median Income in San Marcos is $105,286.
The Home Value To Income in San Marcos is 8.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Marcos is 0.25x.
| Statistic | San Marcos | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $935,137 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,191 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $105,286 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 8.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Marcos, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Marcos Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.5 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.89 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.67 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $26.92 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.77 | $45.56 |
Detailed San Marcos Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.05 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.98 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.25 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
Detailed San Marcos Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Marcos Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Marcos Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Marcos | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
San Marcos SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Marcos
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Marcos. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Oceanside, CA has a cost of living index of 156, 1.0x San Marcos.
Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x San Marcos.
Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 195, 1.2x San Marcos.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Marcos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanside, CA | 172,542 | 156 | 1.0x |
| Escondido, CA | 149,913 | 149 | 0.9x |
| Carlsbad, CA | 114,500 | 195 | 1.2x |
| Vista, CA | 98,646 | 154 | 1.0x |
| Encinitas, CA | 61,585 | 214 | 1.3x |
| Poway, CA | 48,515 | 176 | 1.1x |
| Fallbrook, CA | 32,467 | 155 | 1.0x |
| Camp Pendleton South, CA | 15,011 | 158 | 1.0x |
| Solana Beach, CA | 12,841 | 254 | 1.6x |
| Valley Center, CA | 10,303 | 166 | 1.0x |
