What is the cost of living in Santa Ana, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Ana has an overall cost of living index of 161, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Santa Ana has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Santa Ana ranks as #373 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Ana ranks as the #261 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Santa Ana, check out:
Santa Ana Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Ana. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Santa Ana is 116.
The Groceries index in Santa Ana is 118.
The Health index in Santa Ana is 259.
The Housing index in Santa Ana is 118.
The Transportation index in Santa Ana is 122.
The Utilities index in Santa Ana is 128.
| Living Expense | Santa Ana | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 161 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 116 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 118 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 259 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 118 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 122 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 128 | 121 | 100 |
Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana is $866,065.
The Median Rent in Santa Ana is $2,082.
The Median Income in Santa Ana is $93,999.
The Home Value To Income in Santa Ana is 9.2x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Ana is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Santa Ana | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $866,065 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,082 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $93,999 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.2x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Santa Ana, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Santa Ana Services costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Ana | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.34 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.04 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $21.11 | $18 |
| Haircut | $27.27 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $41.78 | $45.56 |
Detailed Santa Ana Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Ana | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.89 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.49 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.92 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.92 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.31 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.26 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.61 | $3.7 |
Detailed Santa Ana Health costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Ana | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $112.92 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $95.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $117.28 | $113.29 |
Detailed Santa Ana Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Ana | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.75 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.38 | $59.92 |
Detailed Santa Ana Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Ana | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $378.97 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
Santa Ana SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Ana
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santa Ana. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Irvine, CA has a cost of living index of 209, 1.3x Santa Ana.
Garden Grove, CA has a cost of living index of 167, 1.0x Santa Ana.
Orange, CA has a cost of living index of 176, 1.1x Santa Ana.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Santa Ana |
|---|---|---|---|
| Irvine, CA | 311,690 | 209 | 1.3x |
| Garden Grove, CA | 170,964 | 167 | 1.0x |
| Orange, CA | 138,266 | 176 | 1.1x |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 110,330 | 198 | 1.2x |
| Mission Viejo, CA | 92,151 | 190 | 1.2x |
| Westminster, CA | 89,860 | 171 | 1.1x |
| Lake Forest, CA | 86,281 | 182 | 1.1x |
| Lakewood, CA | 79,850 | 166 | 1.0x |
| Tustin, CA | 78,981 | 181 | 1.1x |
| Fountain Valley, CA | 56,258 | 188 | 1.2x |
