What is the cost of living in Union City, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Union City has an overall cost of living index of 203, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Union City has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Union City ranks as #531 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Union City ranks as the #103 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Union City, check out:
Union City Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Union City. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Union City is 114.
The Groceries index in Union City is 115.
The Health index in Union City is 395.
The Housing index in Union City is 119.
The Transportation index in Union City is 121.
The Utilities index in Union City is 120.
| Living Expense | Union City | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 203 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 395 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 119 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 121 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 120 | 121 | 100 |
Union City Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Union City Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Union City, 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Union City is $1,276,126.
The Median Rent in Union City is $2,713.
The Median Income in Union City is $133,715.
The Home Value To Income in Union City is 9.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Union City is 0.24x.
| Statistic | Union City | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,276,126 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,713 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $133,715 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.5x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.24x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Union City, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Union City Services costs vs. California
| Item | Union City | 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 Union City Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Union City | 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 Union City Health costs vs. California
| Item | Union City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $137.4 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $110.0 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $118.27 | $113.29 |
Detailed Union City Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Union City | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.6 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $60.97 | $59.92 |
Detailed Union City Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Union City | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $182.51 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
