Torrance, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Torrance, CA Summary

Cost of living in Torrance 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 Torrance 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 Torrance is 190, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Torrance is 1.9x higher than the national average.

  • Torrance ranks as the #502 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Torrance ranks as the #6,260 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Torrance is $1,155,338.

  • The median income in Torrance is $113,105.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
190
Torrance's Overall Cost Of Living
1.9x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Torrance, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Torrance has an overall cost of living index of 190, which is 1.9x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Torrance has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Torrance ranks as #502 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Torrance ranks as the #132 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Torrance, check out:

502 out of 634
In California
6,260 out of 6,489
In America

Torrance Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Torrance is 118.

  • The Groceries index in Torrance is 111.

  • The Health index in Torrance is 109.

  • The Housing index in Torrance is 359.

  • The Transportation index in Torrance is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Torrance is 112.

Living Expense Torrance California National Average
Overall 190 141 100
Services 118 110 100
Groceries 111 112 100
Health 109 110 100
Housing 359 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 112 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Torrance Cost of Living Vs. CA

Torrance, 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 Torrance is $1,155,338.

  • The Median Rent in Torrance is $2,214.

  • The Median Income in Torrance is $113,105.

  • The Home Value To Income in Torrance is 10.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Torrance is 0.23x.

Statistic Torrance California United States
Median Home Value $1,155,338 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $2,214 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $113,105 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 10.2x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.21x
$1,155,338
Median Home Value
$2,214
Median Rent
$113,105
Median Income

Torrance, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Torrance Services Costs Vs. California

Item Torrance California
Shampoo $1.41 $1.28
Movie $13.46 $12.13
Bowling $19.07 $18
Haircut $24.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $49.33 $45.56

Detailed Torrance Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Torrance 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

Detailed Torrance Health Costs Vs. California

Item Torrance California
Optometrist $129.09 $125.68
Doctor $119.86 $135.78
Dentist $108.07 $113.29

Detailed Torrance Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Torrance California
Gasoline $4.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.33 $59.92

Detailed Torrance Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Torrance California
All Electricity $326.49 $193.99
Phone $182.78 $192.25

Torrance SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
8.5
Commute
5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Torrance

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

  • Lakewood, CA has a cost of living index of 164, 0.9x Torrance.

  • Redondo Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 212, 1.1x Torrance.

  • Gardena, CA has a cost of living index of 153, 0.8x Torrance.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Torrance
Lakewood, CA 80,510 164 0.9x
Redondo Beach, CA 69,814 212 1.1x
Gardena, CA 59,765 153 0.8x
Cypress, CA 49,531 172 0.9x
Cerritos, CA 48,340 181 1.0x
La Mirada, CA 46,945 163 0.9x
Manhattan Beach, CA 34,584 334 1.8x
Lawndale, CA 31,113 160 0.8x
West Whittier-Los Nietos, CA 25,459 148 0.8x
West Carson, CA 21,909 153 0.8x

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