Cost of living in South Pasadena 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 South Pasadena 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 South Pasadena is 226, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in South Pasadena is 2.3x higher than the national average.
South Pasadena ranks as the #569 cheapest in California out of 634.
South Pasadena ranks as the #6,396 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in South Pasadena is $1,617,943.
The median income in South Pasadena is $128,105.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, South Pasadena has an overall cost of living index of 226, which is 2.3x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, South Pasadena has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in South Pasadena ranks as #569 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies South Pasadena ranks as the #65 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in South Pasadena, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in South Pasadena. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in South Pasadena is 117.
The Groceries index in South Pasadena is 114.
The Health index in South Pasadena is 110.
The Housing index in South Pasadena is 481.
The Transportation index in South Pasadena is 124.
The Utilities index in South Pasadena is 110.
| Living Expense | South Pasadena | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 226 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 117 | 111 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 114 | 111 | 100 | |
| Health | 110 | 107 | 100 | |
| Housing | 481 | 194 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 124 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 110 | 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 South Pasadena is $1,617,943.
The Median Rent in South Pasadena is $2,218.
The Median Income in South Pasadena is $128,105.
The Home Value To Income in South Pasadena is 12.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in South Pasadena is 0.21x.
| Statistic | South Pasadena | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,617,943 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,218 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $128,105 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 12.6x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | South Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.41 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.46 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $19.07 | $18.0 |
| Haircut | $24.67 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $49.33 | $45.56 |
| Item | South Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.26 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.08 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.76 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $16.13 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $9.6 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.76 | $3.7 |
| Item | South Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $129.09 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $119.86 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $108.07 | $113.29 |
| Item | South Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.47 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $58.33 | $59.92 |
| Item | South Pasadena | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $326.49 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $182.78 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around South Pasadena. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Pasadena, CA has a cost of living index of 189, 0.8x South Pasadena.
East Los Angeles, CA has a cost of living index of 144, 0.6x South Pasadena.
Alhambra, CA has a cost of living index of 169, 0.7x South Pasadena.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. South Pasadena |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pasadena, CA | 136,462 | 189 | 0.8x |
| East Los Angeles, CA | 114,617 | 144 | 0.6x |
| Alhambra, CA | 81,483 | 169 | 0.7x |
| Lakewood, CA | 80,510 | 164 | 0.7x |
| Monterey Park, CA | 59,639 | 169 | 0.7x |
| Rosemead, CA | 50,340 | 158 | 0.7x |
| La Mirada, CA | 46,945 | 163 | 0.7x |
| San Gabriel, CA | 38,764 | 178 | 0.8x |
| Walnut, CA | 27,857 | 194 | 0.9x |
| East San Gabriel, CA | 23,521 | 187 | 0.8x |