Scotts Valley, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Scotts Valley, CA Summary

Cost of living in Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley is 194, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Scotts Valley ranks as the #513 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Scotts Valley ranks as the #6,285 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Scotts Valley is $1,234,447.

  • The median income in Scotts Valley is $140,887.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
194
Scotts Valley's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Scotts Valley, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Scotts Valley has an overall cost of living index of 194, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Scotts Valley has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Scotts Valley ranks as #513 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Scotts Valley ranks as the #121 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Scotts Valley, check out:

513 out of 634
In California
6,285 out of 6,489
In America

Scotts Valley Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Scotts Valley is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Scotts Valley is 117.

  • The Health index in Scotts Valley is 125.

  • The Housing index in Scotts Valley is 370.

  • The Transportation index in Scotts Valley is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Scotts Valley is 133.

Living Expense Scotts Valley California National Average
Overall 194 141 100
Services 108 110 100
Groceries 117 112 100
Health 125 110 100
Housing 370 195 100
Transportation 130 125 100
Utilities 133 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Scotts Valley Cost of Living Vs. CA

Scotts Valley, 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 Scotts Valley is $1,234,447.

  • The Median Rent in Scotts Valley is $2,362.

  • The Median Income in Scotts Valley is $140,887.

  • The Home Value To Income in Scotts Valley is 8.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Scotts Valley is 0.2x.

Statistic Scotts Valley California United States
Median Home Value $1,234,447 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,362 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $140,887 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 8.8x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,234,447
Median Home Value
$2,362
Median Rent
$140,887
Median Income

Scotts Valley, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Scotts Valley Services Costs Vs. California

Item Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Scotts Valley 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 Scotts Valley Health Costs Vs. California

Item Scotts Valley California
Optometrist $158.95 $125.68
Doctor $194.05 $135.78
Dentist $147.78 $113.29

Detailed Scotts Valley Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Scotts Valley California
Gasoline $4.81 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.62 $59.92

Detailed Scotts Valley Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Scotts Valley California
All Electricity $294.74 $193.99
Phone $190.07 $192.25

Scotts Valley SnackAbility

9.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
8
Safety
8
Amenities
8.5
Education
9
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Scotts Valley

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

  • San Jose, CA has a cost of living index of 209, 1.1x Scotts Valley.

  • Santa Cruz, CA has a cost of living index of 205, 1.1x Scotts Valley.

  • Cupertino, CA has a cost of living index of 326, 1.7x Scotts Valley.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Scotts Valley
San Jose, CA 990,054 209 1.1x
Santa Cruz, CA 60,953 205 1.1x
Cupertino, CA 58,886 326 1.7x
Campbell, CA 42,848 235 1.2x
Los Gatos, CA 32,773 308 1.6x
Saratoga, CA 30,335 342 1.8x
Live Oak, CA 16,866 115 0.6x
Soquel, CA 10,691 180 0.9x
Rio del Mar, CA 8,938 214 1.1x
Interlaken, CA 8,191 163 0.8x

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