Seaside, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Seaside, CA Summary

Cost of living in Seaside 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 Seaside 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 Seaside is 162, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Seaside is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Seaside ranks as the #386 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Seaside ranks as the #5,933 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Seaside is $779,485.

  • The median income in Seaside is $82,303.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
162
Seaside's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Seaside, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Seaside has an overall cost of living index of 162, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

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

The standard of living in Seaside ranks as #386 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Seaside ranks as the #248 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Seaside, check out:

386 out of 634
In California
5,933 out of 6,489
In America

Seaside Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Seaside is 108.

  • The Groceries index in Seaside is 116.

  • The Health index in Seaside is 122.

  • The Housing index in Seaside is 264.

  • The Transportation index in Seaside is 131.

  • The Utilities index in Seaside is 133.

Living Expense Seaside California National Average
Overall 162 141 100
Services 108 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 122 110 100
Housing 264 195 100
Transportation 131 125 100
Utilities 133 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Seaside Cost of Living Vs. CA

Seaside, 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 Seaside is $779,485.

  • The Median Rent in Seaside is $2,314.

  • The Median Income in Seaside is $82,303.

  • The Home Value To Income in Seaside is 9.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Seaside is 0.34x.

Statistic Seaside California United States
Median Home Value $779,485 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,314 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $82,303 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 9.5x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.34x 0.24x 0.21x
$779,485
Median Home Value
$2,314
Median Rent
$82,303
Median Income

Seaside, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Seaside Services Costs Vs. California

Item Seaside 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 Seaside Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Seaside 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 Seaside Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Seaside Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Seaside California
Gasoline $4.81 $3.46
Tire Balancing $65.62 $59.92

Detailed Seaside Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Seaside California
All Electricity $294.74 $193.99
Phone $190.07 $192.25

Seaside SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
3
Diversity
10
Safety
7
Amenities
9
Education
6
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Seaside

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

  • Salinas, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x Seaside.

  • Monterey, CA has a cost of living index of 190, 1.2x Seaside.

  • Marina, CA has a cost of living index of 159, 1.0x Seaside.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Seaside
Salinas, CA 161,993 149 0.9x
Monterey, CA 29,772 190 1.2x
Marina, CA 22,324 159 1.0x
Prunedale, CA 19,286 165 1.0x
Pacific Grove, CA 15,003 203 1.3x
Castroville, CA 6,870 158 1.0x

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