Cost of living in Vista 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 Vista 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 Vista is 154, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Vista is 1.5x higher than the national average.
Vista ranks as the #340 cheapest in California out of 634.
Vista ranks as the #5,792 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Vista is $857,463.
The median income in Vista is $91,854.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Vista has an overall cost of living index of 154, which is 1.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Vista has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in Vista ranks as #340 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Vista ranks as the #294 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Vista, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Vista. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Vista is 114.
The Groceries index in Vista is 117.
The Health index in Vista is 107.
The Housing index in Vista is 246.
The Transportation index in Vista is 125.
The Utilities index in Vista is 107.
| Living Expense | Vista | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 154 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 117 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 107 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 246 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 125 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 107 | 128 | 100 | |
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 Vista is $857,463.
The Median Rent in Vista is $2,148.
The Median Income in Vista is $91,854.
The Home Value To Income in Vista is 9.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Vista is 0.28x.
| Statistic | Vista | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $857,463 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,148 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $91,854 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.3x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.28x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
| Item | Vista | 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 |
| Item | Vista | 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 |
| Item | Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
| Item | Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
| Item | Vista | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Vista. 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, 1.0x Vista.
Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 149, 1.0x Vista.
Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 195, 1.3x Vista.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Vista |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oceanside, CA | 172,542 | 156 | 1.0x |
| Escondido, CA | 149,913 | 149 | 1.0x |
| Carlsbad, CA | 114,500 | 195 | 1.3x |
| San Marcos, CA | 94,078 | 162 | 1.1x |
| Encinitas, CA | 61,585 | 214 | 1.4x |
| Poway, CA | 48,515 | 176 | 1.1x |
| Fallbrook, CA | 32,467 | 155 | 1.0x |
| Camp Pendleton South, CA | 15,011 | 158 | 1.0x |
| Solana Beach, CA | 12,841 | 254 | 1.6x |
| Valley Center, CA | 10,303 | 166 | 1.1x |