St. Helena, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In St. Helena, CA Summary

Cost of living in St. Helena 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 St. Helena 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 St. Helena is 249, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in St. Helena is 2.5x higher than the national average.

  • St. Helena ranks as the #587 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • St. Helena ranks as the #6,429 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in St. Helena is $1,634,468.

  • The median income in St. Helena is $158,218.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
249
St. Helena's Overall Cost Of Living
2.5x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in St. Helena, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, St. Helena has an overall cost of living index of 249, which is 2.5x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, St. Helena has a cost of living index that's 1.8x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in St. Helena ranks as #587 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies St. Helena ranks as the #47 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in St. Helena, check out:

587 out of 634
In California
6,429 out of 6,489
In America

St. Helena Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in St. Helena is 115.

  • The Groceries index in St. Helena is 116.

  • The Health index in St. Helena is 122.

  • The Housing index in St. Helena is 543.

  • The Transportation index in St. Helena is 127.

  • The Utilities index in St. Helena is 133.

Living Expense St. Helena California National Average
Overall 249 141 100
Services 115 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 122 110 100
Housing 543 195 100
Transportation 127 125 100
Utilities 133 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
St. Helena Cost of Living Vs. CA

St. Helena, 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 St. Helena is $1,634,468.

  • The Median Rent in St. Helena is $2,391.

  • The Median Income in St. Helena is $158,218.

  • The Home Value To Income in St. Helena is 10.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in St. Helena is 0.18x.

Statistic St. Helena California United States
Median Home Value $1,634,468 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,391 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $158,218 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 10.3x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.18x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,634,468
Median Home Value
$2,391
Median Rent
$158,218
Median Income

St. Helena, CA Costs By Category

Detailed St. Helena Services Costs Vs. California

Item St. Helena California
Shampoo $1.45 $1.28
Movie $16.46 $12.13
Bowling $27.22 $18
Haircut $25.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $76.0 $45.56

Detailed St. Helena Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item St. Helena California
Ground Beef $5.7 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.43 $1.57
Milk $4.91 $4.67
Potatoes $4.87 $4.93
Pizza $13.49 $12.09
Beer $11.18 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.64 $3.7

Detailed St. Helena Health Costs Vs. California

Item St. Helena California
Optometrist $137.4 $125.68
Doctor $110.0 $135.78
Dentist $118.27 $113.29

Detailed St. Helena Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item St. Helena California
Gasoline $4.6 $3.46
Tire Balancing $60.97 $59.92

Detailed St. Helena Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item St. Helena California
All Electricity $182.51 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

St. Helena SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
5
Diversity
8
Safety
7
Amenities
8
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around St. Helena

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

  • Santa Rosa, CA has a cost of living index of 167, 0.7x St. Helena.

  • Napa, CA has a cost of living index of 172, 0.7x St. Helena.

  • Rohnert Park, CA has a cost of living index of 163, 0.7x St. Helena.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. St. Helena
Santa Rosa, CA 177,216 167 0.7x
Napa, CA 78,816 172 0.7x
Rohnert Park, CA 44,461 163 0.7x
Windsor, CA 26,179 177 0.7x
Sonoma, CA 10,726 197 0.8x
Oakville, CT 9,233 113 0.5x
Larkfield-Wikiup, CA 8,861 175 0.7x
Cotati, CA 7,533 166 0.7x
Calistoga, CA 5,159 171 0.7x

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