San Pablo, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In San Pablo, CA Summary

Cost of living in San Pablo 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 Pablo 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 Pablo is 143, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in San Pablo is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • San Pablo ranks as the #268 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • San Pablo ranks as the #5,499 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in San Pablo is $553,549.

  • The median income in San Pablo is $78,215.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
143
San Pablo's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

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

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Pablo has an overall cost of living index of 143, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, San Pablo has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in San Pablo ranks as #268 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Pablo ranks as the #366 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

268 out of 634
In California
5,499 out of 6,489
In America

San Pablo Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in San Pablo is 113.

  • The Groceries index in San Pablo is 118.

  • The Health index in San Pablo is 120.

  • The Housing index in San Pablo is 192.

  • The Transportation index in San Pablo is 130.

  • The Utilities index in San Pablo is 136.

Living Expense San Pablo California National Average
Overall 143 141 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 118 112 100
Health 120 110 100
Housing 192 195 100
Transportation 130 125 100
Utilities 136 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
San Pablo Cost of Living Vs. CA

San Pablo, 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 Pablo is $553,549.

  • The Median Rent in San Pablo is $1,890.

  • The Median Income in San Pablo is $78,215.

  • The Home Value To Income in San Pablo is 7.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in San Pablo is 0.29x.

Statistic San Pablo California United States
Median Home Value $553,549 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,890 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $78,215 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.1x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.29x 0.24x 0.21x
$553,549
Median Home Value
$1,890
Median Rent
$78,215
Median Income

San Pablo, CA Costs By Category

Detailed San Pablo Services Costs Vs. California

Item San Pablo California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed San Pablo Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item San Pablo California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed San Pablo Health Costs Vs. California

Item San Pablo California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed San Pablo Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item San Pablo California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed San Pablo Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item San Pablo California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

San Pablo SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
6/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
4
Commute
3

Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Pablo

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

  • Richmond, CA has a cost of living index of 158, 1.1x San Pablo.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 2.0x San Pablo.

  • Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 1.2x San Pablo.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. San Pablo
Richmond, CA 115,396 158 1.1x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 2.0x
Hercules, CA 26,245 173 1.2x
El Cerrito, CA 25,781 199 1.4x
Lafayette, CA 25,277 284 2.0x
American Canyon, CA 21,698 162 1.1x
Orinda, CA 19,472 280 2.0x
Pinole, CA 18,835 166 1.2x
Piedmont, CA 11,012 340 2.4x
Fairfax, CA 7,523 205 1.4x

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