San Rafael, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Rafael, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Rafael 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 Rafael 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 Rafael is 218, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Rafael is 2.2x higher than the national average.
San Rafael ranks as the #557 cheapest in California out of 634.
San Rafael ranks as the #6,381 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Rafael is $1,262,705.
The median income in San Rafael is $109,317.
Table Of Contents
San Rafael's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Rafael, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Rafael has an overall cost of living index of 218, which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Rafael has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in San Rafael ranks as #557 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Rafael ranks as the #77 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Rafael, check out:
In California
In America
San Rafael Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Rafael. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Rafael is 118.
The Groceries index in San Rafael is 124.
The Health index in San Rafael is 123.
The Housing index in San Rafael is 435.
The Transportation index in San Rafael is 133.
The Utilities index in San Rafael is 135.
| Living Expense | San Rafael | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 218 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 118 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 124 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 123 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 435 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 133 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 135 | 128 | 100 | |
San Rafael, 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 Rafael is $1,262,705.
The Median Rent in San Rafael is $2,346.
The Median Income in San Rafael is $109,317.
The Home Value To Income in San Rafael is 11.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Rafael is 0.26x.
| Statistic | San Rafael | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,262,705 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,346 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $109,317 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.6x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Rafael, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Rafael Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Rafael | 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 Rafael Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Rafael | 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 Rafael Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Rafael | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $159.79 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $174.45 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $155.36 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Rafael Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Rafael | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $75.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Rafael Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Rafael | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $298.77 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.63 | $192.25 |
San Rafael SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Rafael
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Rafael. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Petaluma, CA has a cost of living index of 183, 0.8x San Rafael.
Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 0.8x San Rafael.
American Canyon, CA has a cost of living index of 162, 0.7x San Rafael.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Rafael |
|---|---|---|---|
| Petaluma, CA | 59,321 | 183 | 0.8x |
| Hercules, CA | 26,245 | 173 | 0.8x |
| American Canyon, CA | 21,698 | 162 | 0.7x |
| Orinda, CA | 19,472 | 280 | 1.3x |
| Mill Valley, CA | 14,064 | 300 | 1.4x |
| Larkspur, CA | 12,856 | 257 | 1.2x |
| San Anselmo, CA | 12,711 | 235 | 1.1x |
| Piedmont, CA | 11,012 | 340 | 1.6x |
| Corte Madera, CA | 10,101 | 260 | 1.2x |
| Fairfax, CA | 7,523 | 205 | 0.9x |
