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 141, 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 lower than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in San Pablo ranks as #245 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Pablo ranks as the #389 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Pablo, check out:
San Pablo Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Pablo. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Pablo is 110.
The Groceries index in San Pablo is 113.
The Health index in San Pablo is 201.
The Housing index in San Pablo is 118.
The Transportation index in San Pablo is 118.
The Utilities index in San Pablo is 115.
| Living Expense | San Pablo | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 141 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 113 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 201 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 118 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 118 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 115 | 121 | 100 |
San Pablo Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in San Pablo Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in San Pablo is $569,731.
The Median Rent in San Pablo is $2,018.
The Median Income in San Pablo is $79,478.
The Home Value To Income in San Pablo is 7.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Pablo is 0.3x.
| Statistic | San Pablo | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $569,731 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,018 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $79,478 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.2x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.3x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
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
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 153, 1.1x San Pablo.
Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 287, 2.0x San Pablo.
Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.2x San Pablo.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Pablo |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond, CA | 115,505 | 153 | 1.1x |
| Mountain View, CA | 83,732 | 287 | 2.0x |
| Hercules, CA | 26,302 | 170 | 1.2x |
| El Cerrito, CA | 25,994 | 203 | 1.4x |
| Lafayette, CA | 25,285 | 281 | 2.0x |
| American Canyon, CA | 21,691 | 162 | 1.1x |
| Orinda, CA | 19,514 | 274 | 1.9x |
| Pinole, CA | 18,761 | 162 | 1.1x |
| Piedmont, CA | 10,945 | 349 | 2.5x |
| Fairfax, CA | 7,516 | 200 | 1.4x |
