What is the cost of living in Santa Clara, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Clara has an overall cost of living index of 242, which is 2.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Santa Clara has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Santa Clara ranks as #580 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Clara ranks as the #54 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Santa Clara, check out:
Santa Clara Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Clara. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Santa Clara is 114.
The Groceries index in Santa Clara is 120.
The Health index in Santa Clara is 520.
The Housing index in Santa Clara is 122.
The Transportation index in Santa Clara is 125.
The Utilities index in Santa Clara is 128.
| Living Expense | Santa Clara | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 242 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 120 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 520 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 122 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 125 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 128 | 121 | 100 |
Santa Clara 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 Clara Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Santa Clara, 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 Clara is $1,782,191.
The Median Rent in Santa Clara is $3,016.
The Median Income in Santa Clara is $178,958.
The Home Value To Income in Santa Clara is 10.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Clara is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Santa Clara | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,782,191 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $3,016 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $178,958 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.0x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Santa Clara, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Santa Clara Services costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Clara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.66 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.31 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $33.3 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.94 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.51 | $45.56 |
Detailed Santa Clara Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Clara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.13 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.05 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.77 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.92 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
Detailed Santa Clara Health costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Clara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Santa Clara Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Clara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Santa Clara Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Clara | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Santa Clara SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Clara
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santa Clara. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 271, 1.1x Santa Clara.
Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 287, 1.2x Santa Clara.
Milpitas, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 0.9x Santa Clara.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Santa Clara |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunnyvale, CA | 154,236 | 271 | 1.1x |
| Mountain View, CA | 83,732 | 287 | 1.2x |
| Milpitas, CA | 78,578 | 218 | 0.9x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,566 | 329 | 1.4x |
| Campbell, CA | 42,781 | 234 | 1.0x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,727 | 337 | 1.4x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,698 | 341 | 1.4x |
| Saratoga, CA | 30,319 | 338 | 1.4x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,614 | 311 | 1.3x |
| North Fair Oaks, CA | 13,100 | 221 | 0.9x |
