California, MD Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for California. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for California compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in California, Maryland

Cost of living in California 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 California is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Maryland, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

127 Cost of living index 1.3x higher vs US
#89 Cheapest in Maryland (of 195)
#4,780 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$395,835 Median home value
$1,927 Median rent
$119,855 Median income
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What is the cost of living in California, MD?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, California has an overall cost of living index of 127, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Maryland, California has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than Maryland's index of 121.

The standard of living in California ranks as #89 most affordable out of the 195 places we measured in Maryland. By definition, that implies California ranks as the #106 most expensive place in the Old Line State.

For more reading on life in California, check out:

California Cost Of Living Vs. Maryland

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

  • The Services index in California is 107.

  • The Groceries index in California is 112.

  • The Health index in California is 159.

  • The Housing index in California is 112.

  • The Transportation index in California is 113.

  • The Utilities index in California is 113.

Living Expense California Maryland National Average
Overall 127 121 100
Services 107 104 100
Groceries 112 107 100
Health 159 152 100
Housing 112 109 100
Transportation 113 108 100
Utilities 113 109 100

California Cost Of Living Compared To Maryland Averages

Services
California 107
Maryland avg 104
Groceries
California 112
Maryland avg 107
Health
California 159
Maryland avg 152
Housing
California 112
Maryland avg 109
Transportation
California 113
Maryland avg 108
Utilities
California 113
Maryland avg 109

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Maryland, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

California, MD Housing Cost Breakdown

$395,835Median Home Value
$1,927Median Rent
$119,855Median Income

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Maryland, 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 California is $395,835.

  • The Median Rent in California is $1,927.

  • The Median Income in California is $119,855.

  • The Home Value To Income in California is 3.3x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in California is 0.19x.

Statistic California Maryland United States
Median Home Value $395,835 $429,704 $332,700
Median Rent $1,927 $1,705 $1,413
Median Income $119,855 $103,678 $80,734
Home Value To Income 3.3x 4.1x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.19x 0.2x 0.21x

California, MD Costs By Category

Detailed California Services costs vs. Maryland
Item California Maryland
Shampoo $1.34 $1.28
Movie $13.08 $12.13
Bowling $24.34 $18
Haircut $25.51 $24.26
Beauty Salon $47.63 $45.56
Detailed California Groceries costs vs. Maryland
Item California Maryland
Ground Beef $6.08 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.68 $4.67
Potatoes $5.3 $4.93
Pizza $12.49 $12.09
Beer $10.83 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7
Detailed California Health costs vs. Maryland
Item California Maryland
Optometrist $120.12 $125.68
Doctor $135.82 $135.78
Dentist $98.77 $113.29
Detailed California Transportation costs vs. Maryland
Item California Maryland
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $64.7 $59.92
Detailed California Utilities costs vs. Maryland
Item California Maryland
All Electricity $213.29 $193.99
Phone $184.83 $192.25

California SnackAbility

7Overall SnackAbility
Jobs 8.5/10
Housing 9/10
Affordability 7/10
Diversity 8.5/10
SafetyN/A
Amenities 8/10
Education 8/10
Commute 6/10

Cost Of Living In Cities Around California

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

  • Alexandria, VA has a cost of living index of 153, 1.2x California.

  • Bowie, MD has a cost of living index of 133, 1.0x California.

  • Kingstowne, VA has a cost of living index of 149, 1.2x California.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. California
Alexandria, VA 156,976 153 1.2x
Bowie, MD 57,926 133 1.0x
Kingstowne, VA 18,360 149 1.2x
Franconia, VA 18,335 140 1.1x
Fort Hunt, VA 16,700 189 1.5x
Bensville, MD 15,848 141 1.1x
Newington, VA 13,478 145 1.1x
Lexington Park, MD 13,252 111 0.9x
Annapolis Neck, MD 12,032 168 1.3x
Mitchellville, MD 11,359 137 1.1x