Santa Monica, CA Cost Of Living
Santa Monica's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
In California
In America
What is the cost of living in Santa Monica, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Monica has an overall cost of living index of 220 which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to only California, Santa Monica has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than California's index of 140.
The standard of living in Santa Monica ranks as #6,359 most affordable out of the 6,418 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Monica ranks as the #60 most expensive place in the Golden State.
Santa Monica Cost Of Living Vs. California
| Living Expense | Santa Monica | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 220 | 140 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 112 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 113 | 113 | 100 | |
| Health | 109 | 115 | 100 | |
| Housing | 463 | 198 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 136 | 134 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 106 | 126 | 100 | |
Santa Monica, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down the statistics around housing costs into more detail. It's also important to consider median household incomes to make apples-to-apples comparisons across locations.
Home and income come data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2014-2018.
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
| Statistic | Santa Monica | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,452,100 | $538,500 | $229,800 |
| Median Rent | $1,900 | $1,586 | $1,096 |
| Median Income | $98,300 | $78,672 | $64,994 |
| Home Value To Income | 14.8x | 6.8x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.23x | 0.24x | 0.2x |
Detailed Santa Monica Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Santa Monica | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.17 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $16.3 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $21.33 | $14.67 |
Detailed Santa Monica Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Santa Monica | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $4.58 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.72 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.19 | $2.05 |
Detailed Santa Monica Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Santa Monica | California |
|---|---|---|
| Haircut | $22.57 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $76.5 | $39.05 |
| Toothpaste | $2.51 | $2.34 |
Detailed Santa Monica Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Santa Monica | California |
|---|---|---|
| Potatoes | $2.99 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $11.66 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $9.82 | $9.38 |
| Optometrist | $125.58 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $125.0 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $110.78 | $99.13 |
Detailed Santa Monica Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Santa Monica | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.31 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $50.62 | $50.07 |
| All Electricity | $185.68 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $189.51 | $175.64 |
Santa Monica SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Monica
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Santa Monica |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | 3,973,278 | 148 | 0.7x |
| Torrance, CA | 144,430 | 171 | 0.8x |
| Inglewood, CA | 109,309 | 133 | 0.6x |
| Redondo Beach, CA | 66,663 | 189 | 0.9x |
| Rancho Palos Verdes, CA | 41,635 | 217 | 1.0x |
| West Hollywood, CA | 35,506 | 169 | 0.8x |
| Beverly Hills, CA | 33,709 | 318 | 1.4x |
| South Pasadena, CA | 25,478 | 195 | 0.9x |
| San Fernando, CA | 24,244 | 133 | 0.6x |
| West Carson, CA | 22,697 | 141 | 0.6x |
