Seal Beach, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Seal Beach, CA Summary

Cost of living in Seal Beach 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 Seal Beach 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 Seal Beach is 142, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Seal Beach is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • Seal Beach ranks as the #260 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Seal Beach ranks as the #5,468 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Seal Beach is $807,584.

  • The median income in Seal Beach is $83,045.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
142
Seal Beach's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Seal Beach, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Seal Beach has an overall cost of living index of 142, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Seal Beach has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Seal Beach ranks as #260 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Seal Beach ranks as the #374 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Seal Beach, check out:

260 out of 634
In California
5,468 out of 6,489
In America

Seal Beach Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Seal Beach is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Seal Beach is 111.

  • The Health index in Seal Beach is 100.

  • The Housing index in Seal Beach is 224.

  • The Transportation index in Seal Beach is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Seal Beach is 95.

Living Expense Seal Beach California National Average
Overall 142 141 100
Services 114 110 100
Groceries 111 112 100
Health 100 110 100
Housing 224 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 95 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Seal Beach Cost of Living Vs. CA

Seal Beach, 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 Seal Beach is $807,584.

  • The Median Rent in Seal Beach is $2,419.

  • The Median Income in Seal Beach is $83,045.

  • The Home Value To Income in Seal Beach is 9.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Seal Beach is 0.35x.

Statistic Seal Beach California United States
Median Home Value $807,584 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,419 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $83,045 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.7x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.35x 0.24x 0.21x
$807,584
Median Home Value
$2,419
Median Rent
$83,045
Median Income

Seal Beach, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Seal Beach Services Costs Vs. California

Item Seal Beach 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 Seal Beach Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Seal Beach 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 Seal Beach Health Costs Vs. California

Item Seal Beach California
Optometrist $112.92 $125.68
Doctor $95.5 $135.78
Dentist $117.28 $113.29

Detailed Seal Beach Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Seal Beach California
Gasoline $4.75 $3.46
Tire Balancing $61.38 $59.92

Detailed Seal Beach Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Seal Beach California
All Electricity $378.97 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Seal Beach SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
8.5
Safety
7
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Seal Beach

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

  • Long Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 158, 1.1x Seal Beach.

  • Huntington Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 189, 1.3x Seal Beach.

  • Westminster, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 1.2x Seal Beach.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Seal Beach
Long Beach, CA 458,491 158 1.1x
Huntington Beach, CA 196,010 189 1.3x
Westminster, CA 90,147 164 1.2x
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 1.2x
Yorba Linda, CA 67,407 200 1.4x
Placentia, CA 52,384 169 1.2x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 1.2x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 1.1x
Stanton, CA 38,639 142 1.0x
North Tustin, CA 26,038 204 1.4x

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