Valley Center, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Valley Center, CA Summary

Cost of living in Valley Center 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 Valley Center 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 Valley Center is 166, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Valley Center is 1.7x higher than the national average.

  • Valley Center ranks as the #411 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Valley Center ranks as the #5,995 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Valley Center is $922,509.

  • The median income in Valley Center is $116,620.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
166
Valley Center's Overall Cost Of Living
1.7x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Valley Center, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Valley Center has an overall cost of living index of 166, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Valley Center has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Valley Center ranks as #411 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Valley Center ranks as the #223 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Valley Center, check out:

411 out of 634
In California
5,995 out of 6,489
In America

Valley Center Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Valley Center is 112.

  • The Groceries index in Valley Center is 116.

  • The Health index in Valley Center is 107.

  • The Housing index in Valley Center is 282.

  • The Transportation index in Valley Center is 126.

  • The Utilities index in Valley Center is 106.

Living Expense Valley Center California National Average
Overall 166 141 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 116 112 100
Health 107 110 100
Housing 282 195 100
Transportation 126 125 100
Utilities 106 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Valley Center Cost of Living Vs. CA

Valley Center, 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 Valley Center is $922,509.

  • The Median Rent in Valley Center is $1,163.

  • The Median Income in Valley Center is $116,620.

  • The Home Value To Income in Valley Center is 7.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Valley Center is 0.12x.

Statistic Valley Center California United States
Median Home Value $922,509 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,163 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $116,620 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.9x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.12x 0.24x 0.21x
$922,509
Median Home Value
$1,163
Median Rent
$116,620
Median Income

Valley Center, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Valley Center Services Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Shampoo $1.5 $1.28
Movie $16.89 $12.13
Bowling $24.67 $18
Haircut $26.92 $24.26
Beauty Salon $65.77 $45.56

Detailed Valley Center Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Ground Beef $5.47 $5.84
Fried Chicken $3.05 $1.57
Milk $4.98 $4.67
Potatoes $4.94 $4.93
Pizza $14.69 $12.09
Beer $11.25 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.73 $3.7

Detailed Valley Center Health Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Optometrist $138.66 $125.68
Doctor $132.5 $135.78
Dentist $121.37 $113.29

Detailed Valley Center Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
Gasoline $4.68 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.4 $59.92

Detailed Valley Center Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Valley Center California
All Electricity $223.42 $193.99
Phone $180.31 $192.25

Valley Center SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
6
Diversity
9
Safety
N/A
Amenities
6
Education
7
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Valley Center

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

  • Oceanside, CA has a cost of living index of 156, 0.9x Valley Center.

  • Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 0.9x Valley Center.

  • Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 195, 1.2x Valley Center.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Valley Center
Oceanside, CA 172,542 156 0.9x
Escondido, CA 149,913 149 0.9x
Carlsbad, CA 114,500 195 1.2x
Temecula, CA 110,404 147 0.9x
Vista, CA 98,646 154 0.9x
San Marcos, CA 94,078 162 1.0x
Encinitas, CA 61,585 214 1.3x
Poway, CA 48,515 176 1.1x
Fallbrook, CA 32,467 155 0.9x
Ramona, CA 22,829 154 0.9x

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