Santee, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Santee, CA Summary

Cost of living in Santee 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 Santee 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 Santee is 149, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Santee is 1.5x higher than the national average.

  • Santee ranks as the #311 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Santee ranks as the #5,665 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Santee is $778,166.

  • The median income in Santee is $105,613.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
149
Santee's Overall Cost Of Living
1.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Santee, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santee has an overall cost of living index of 149, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Santee has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Santee ranks as #311 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santee ranks as the #323 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Santee, check out:

311 out of 634
In California
5,665 out of 6,489
In America

Santee Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santee. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Santee is 115.

  • The Groceries index in Santee is 114.

  • The Health index in Santee is 104.

  • The Housing index in Santee is 239.

  • The Transportation index in Santee is 125.

  • The Utilities index in Santee is 108.

Living Expense Santee California National Average
Overall 149 141 100
Services 115 110 100
Groceries 114 112 100
Health 104 110 100
Housing 239 195 100
Transportation 125 125 100
Utilities 108 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Santee Cost of Living Vs. CA

Santee, 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 Santee is $778,166.

  • The Median Rent in Santee is $2,197.

  • The Median Income in Santee is $105,613.

  • The Home Value To Income in Santee is 7.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Santee is 0.25x.

Statistic Santee California United States
Median Home Value $778,166 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,197 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $105,613 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.4x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.21x
$778,166
Median Home Value
$2,197
Median Rent
$105,613
Median Income

Santee, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Santee Services Costs Vs. California

Item Santee California
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $16.89 $12.13
Bowling $24.67 $18
Haircut $26.92 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.77 $45.56

Detailed Santee Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Santee California
Ground Beef $5.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.05 $1.57
Milk $4.98 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $14.69 $12.09
Beer $11.25 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Santee Health Costs Vs. California

Item Santee California
Optometrist $138.66 $125.68
Doctor $132.5 $135.78
Dentist $121.37 $113.29

Detailed Santee Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Santee California
Gasoline $4.68 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.4 $59.92

Detailed Santee Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Santee California
All Electricity $223.42 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Santee SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
8.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santee

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santee. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • San Diego, CA has a cost of living index of 170, 1.1x Santee.

  • El Cajon, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 1.0x Santee.

  • La Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 1.1x Santee.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Santee
San Diego, CA 1,385,061 170 1.1x
El Cajon, CA 104,909 147 1.0x
La Mesa, CA 60,835 160 1.1x
Poway, CA 48,515 176 1.2x
La Presa, CA 36,669 143 1.0x
Lemon Grove, CA 27,489 144 1.0x
Rancho San Diego, CA 22,264 171 1.1x
Winter Gardens, CA 22,003 145 1.0x
Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA 19,651 171 1.1x
Coronado, CA 18,558 294 2.0x

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