Cost of living in Solana 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 Solana 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 Solana Beach is 254, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Solana Beach is 2.5x higher than the national average.
Solana Beach ranks as the #589 cheapest in California out of 634.
Solana Beach ranks as the #6,432 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Solana Beach is $2,114,003.
The median income in Solana Beach is $150,820.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Solana Beach has an overall cost of living index of 254, which is 2.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Solana Beach has a cost of living index that's 1.8x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Solana Beach ranks as #589 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Solana Beach ranks as the #45 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Solana Beach, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Solana Beach. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Solana Beach is 114.
The Groceries index in Solana Beach is 117.
The Health index in Solana Beach is 106.
The Housing index in Solana Beach is 578.
The Transportation index in Solana Beach is 127.
The Utilities index in Solana Beach is 108.
| Living Expense | Solana Beach | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 254 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 578 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 127 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 108 | 128 | 100 | |
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 Solana Beach is $2,114,003.
The Median Rent in Solana Beach is $3,022.
The Median Income in Solana Beach is $150,820.
The Home Value To Income in Solana Beach is 14.0x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Solana Beach is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Solana Beach | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $2,114,003 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $3,022 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $150,820 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 14.0x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Solana Beach | 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 |
| Item | Solana Beach | 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 |
| Item | Solana Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
| Item | Solana Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
| Item | Solana Beach | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Solana Beach. 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, 0.7x Solana Beach.
Oceanside, CA has a cost of living index of 156, 0.6x Solana Beach.
Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.6x Solana Beach.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Solana Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | 1,385,061 | 170 | 0.7x |
| Oceanside, CA | 172,542 | 156 | 0.6x |
| Escondido, CA | 149,913 | 149 | 0.6x |
| Carlsbad, CA | 114,500 | 195 | 0.8x |
| Vista, CA | 98,646 | 154 | 0.6x |
| San Marcos, CA | 94,078 | 162 | 0.6x |
| Encinitas, CA | 61,585 | 214 | 0.8x |
| Santee, CA | 59,485 | 149 | 0.6x |
| Poway, CA | 48,515 | 176 | 0.7x |
| Camp Pendleton South, CA | 15,011 | 158 | 0.6x |