San Rafael, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

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 192, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in San Rafael is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • San Rafael ranks as the #559 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • San Rafael ranks as the #6,284 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in San Rafael is $1,037,200.

  • The median income in San Rafael is $104,521.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
192
San Rafael's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
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 192, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, San Rafael has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in San Rafael ranks as #559 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Rafael ranks as the #76 most expensive place in the Golden State.

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

559 out of 635
In California
6,284 out of 6,412
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 128.

  • The Groceries index in San Rafael is 129.

  • The Health index in San Rafael is 123.

  • The Housing index in San Rafael is 339.

  • The Transportation index in San Rafael is 150.

  • The Utilities index in San Rafael is 136.

Living Expense San Rafael California National Average
Overall 192 139 100
Services 128 110 100
Groceries 129 112 100
Health 123 109 100
Housing 339 204 100
Transportation 150 126 100
Utilities 136 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
San Rafael Cost of Living Vs. CA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in San Rafael is $1,037,200.

  • The Median Rent in San Rafael is $2,122.

  • The Median Income in San Rafael is $104,521.

  • The Home Value To Income in San Rafael is 9.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in San Rafael is 0.24x.

Statistic San Rafael California United States
Median Home Value $1,037,200 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,122 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $104,521 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 9.9x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In San Rafael, CA
$1,037,200
Median Home Value
$2,122
Median Rent
$104,521
Median Income

San Rafael, CA Costs By Category

Detailed San Rafael Services Costs Vs. California

Item San Rafael California
Shampoo $1.35 $1.06
Movie $16.41 $10.68
Bowling $20.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.38 $18.62
Beauty Salon $82.05 $39.05

Detailed San Rafael Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item San Rafael California
Ground Beef $3.64 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.8 $1.39
Milk $2.83 $2.05
Potatoes $3.42 $3.29
Pizza $13.47 $10.62
Beer $10.5 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.18 $2.34

Detailed San Rafael Health Costs Vs. California

Item San Rafael California
Optometrist $144.57 $108.57
Doctor $149.63 $116.17
Dentist $132.68 $99.13

Detailed San Rafael Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item San Rafael California
Gasoline $3.46 $2.22
Tire Balancing $65.51 $50.07

Detailed San Rafael Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item San Rafael California
All Electricity $267.84 $167.67
Phone $198.18 $175.64

San Rafael SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
6

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 161, 0.8x San Rafael.

  • Hercules, CA has a cost of living index of 155, 0.8x San Rafael.

  • American Canyon, CA has a cost of living index of 148, 0.8x San Rafael.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. San Rafael
Petaluma, CA 60,050 161 0.8x
Hercules, CA 26,050 155 0.8x
American Canyon, CA 21,735 148 0.8x
Orinda, CA 19,497 240 1.2x
Mill Valley, CA 14,240 246 1.3x
Larkspur, CA 12,972 238 1.2x
San Anselmo, CA 12,795 213 1.1x
Piedmont, CA 11,368 291 1.5x
Corte Madera, CA 10,145 233 1.2x
Fairfax, CA 7,605 193 1.0x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?