Stanford, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Stanford, CA Summary

Cost of living in Stanford 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 Stanford 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 Stanford is 326, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Stanford is 3.3x higher than the national average.

  • Stanford ranks as the #615 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Stanford ranks as the #6,470 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Stanford is $3,074,497.

  • The median income in Stanford is $70,651.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
326
Stanford's Overall Cost Of Living
3.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Stanford, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Stanford has an overall cost of living index of 326, which is 3.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Stanford has a cost of living index that's 2.3x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Stanford ranks as #615 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Stanford ranks as the #19 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Stanford, check out:

615 out of 634
In California
6,470 out of 6,489
In America

Stanford Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Stanford is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Stanford is 116.

  • The Health index in Stanford is 125.

  • The Housing index in Stanford is 810.

  • The Transportation index in Stanford is 129.

  • The Utilities index in Stanford is 134.

Living Expense Stanford California National Average
Overall 326 141 100
Services 109 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 125 110 100
Housing 810 195 100
Transportation 129 125 100
Utilities 134 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Stanford Cost of Living Vs. CA

Stanford, 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 Stanford is $3,074,497.

  • The Median Rent in Stanford is $1,925.

  • The Median Income in Stanford is $70,651.

  • The Home Value To Income in Stanford is 43.5x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Stanford is 0.33x.

Statistic Stanford California United States
Median Home Value $3,074,497 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,925 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $70,651 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 43.5x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.33x 0.24x 0.21x
$3,074,497
Median Home Value
$1,925
Median Rent
$70,651
Median Income

Stanford, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Stanford Services Costs Vs. California

Item Stanford 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 Stanford Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Stanford 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 Stanford Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Stanford Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Stanford Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

Stanford SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
2
Diversity
10
Safety
N/A
Amenities
9
Education
10
Commute
10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Stanford

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

  • Sunnyvale, CA has a cost of living index of 266, 0.8x Stanford.

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 0.8x Stanford.

  • Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 0.9x Stanford.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Stanford
Sunnyvale, CA 153,455 266 0.8x
San Mateo, CA 103,555 248 0.8x
Mountain View, CA 82,363 283 0.9x
Palo Alto, CA 67,231 334 1.0x
Cupertino, CA 58,886 326 1.0x
San Bruno, CA 42,612 220 0.7x
Menlo Park, CA 32,775 334 1.0x
Los Altos, CA 30,736 339 1.0x
San Carlos, CA 29,797 311 1.0x
San Lorenzo, CA 29,453 170 0.5x

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