Sunnyvale, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In Sunnyvale, CA Summary
Cost of living in Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale 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 Sunnyvale is 266, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Sunnyvale is 2.7x higher than the national average.
Sunnyvale ranks as the #594 cheapest in California out of 634.
Sunnyvale ranks as the #6,444 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Sunnyvale is $1,979,371.
The median income in Sunnyvale is $181,862.
Table Of Contents
Sunnyvale's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in Sunnyvale, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sunnyvale has an overall cost of living index of 266, which is 2.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Sunnyvale has a cost of living index that's 1.9x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Sunnyvale ranks as #594 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Sunnyvale ranks as the #40 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Sunnyvale, check out:
In California
In America
Sunnyvale Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Sunnyvale. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Sunnyvale is 109.
The Groceries index in Sunnyvale is 117.
The Health index in Sunnyvale is 124.
The Housing index in Sunnyvale is 616.
The Transportation index in Sunnyvale is 131.
The Utilities index in Sunnyvale is 131.
| Living Expense | Sunnyvale | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 266 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 109 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 124 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 616 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 131 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 131 | 128 | 100 | |
Sunnyvale, 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 Sunnyvale is $1,979,371.
The Median Rent in Sunnyvale is $3,065.
The Median Income in Sunnyvale is $181,862.
The Home Value To Income in Sunnyvale is 10.9x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Sunnyvale is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Sunnyvale | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,979,371 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $3,065 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $181,862 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 10.9x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
Sunnyvale, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Sunnyvale Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | Sunnyvale | 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 Sunnyvale Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | Sunnyvale | 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 Sunnyvale Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | Sunnyvale | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Sunnyvale Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | Sunnyvale | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Sunnyvale Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | Sunnyvale | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Sunnyvale SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Sunnyvale
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Sunnyvale. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Santa Clara, CA has a cost of living index of 234, 0.9x Sunnyvale.
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 248, 0.9x Sunnyvale.
Mountain View, CA has a cost of living index of 283, 1.1x Sunnyvale.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Sunnyvale |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Clara, CA | 129,239 | 234 | 0.9x |
| San Mateo, CA | 103,555 | 248 | 0.9x |
| Mountain View, CA | 82,363 | 283 | 1.1x |
| Palo Alto, CA | 67,231 | 334 | 1.3x |
| Cupertino, CA | 58,886 | 326 | 1.2x |
| Menlo Park, CA | 32,775 | 334 | 1.3x |
| Los Altos, CA | 30,736 | 339 | 1.3x |
| Saratoga, CA | 30,335 | 342 | 1.3x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,797 | 311 | 1.2x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,505 | 294 | 1.1x |
