San Mateo, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Mateo, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Mateo 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 Mateo 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 Mateo is 248, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Mateo is 2.5x higher than the national average.
San Mateo ranks as the #586 cheapest in California out of 634.
San Mateo ranks as the #6,427 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Mateo is $1,595,907.
The median income in San Mateo is $152,669.
Table Of Contents
San Mateo's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Mateo, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Mateo has an overall cost of living index of 248, which is 2.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Mateo has a cost of living index that's 1.8x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in San Mateo ranks as #586 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Mateo ranks as the #48 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Mateo, check out:
In California
In America
San Mateo Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Mateo. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Mateo is 120.
The Groceries index in San Mateo is 124.
The Health index in San Mateo is 127.
The Housing index in San Mateo is 535.
The Transportation index in San Mateo is 131.
The Utilities index in San Mateo is 136.
| Living Expense | San Mateo | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 248 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 120 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 124 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 127 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 535 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 131 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 136 | 128 | 100 | |
San Mateo, 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 Mateo is $1,595,907.
The Median Rent in San Mateo is $3,079.
The Median Income in San Mateo is $152,669.
The Home Value To Income in San Mateo is 10.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Mateo is 0.24x.
| Statistic | San Mateo | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,595,907 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $3,079 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $152,669 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.5x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Mateo, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Mateo Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Mateo | 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 Mateo Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Mateo | 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 Mateo Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $159.79 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $174.45 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $155.36 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Mateo Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $75.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Mateo Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Mateo | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $298.77 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.63 | $192.25 |
San Mateo SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Mateo
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Mateo. 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, 1.1x San Mateo.
South San Francisco, CA has a cost of living index of 213, 0.9x San Mateo.
San Bruno, CA has a cost of living index of 220, 0.9x San Mateo.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Mateo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 153,455 | 266 | 1.1x |
| South San Francisco, CA | 64,487 | 213 | 0.9x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,612 | 220 | 0.9x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,775 | 334 | 1.3x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,736 | 339 | 1.4x |
| Burlingame, CA | 30,526 | 336 | 1.4x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,797 | 311 | 1.3x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,453 | 170 | 0.7x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,505 | 294 | 1.2x |
| Millbrae, CA | 22,589 | 289 | 1.2x |
