Beverly Hills, Santa Barbara, and Glendale all moved up the list of the top ten most expensive places to live in California for 2025.
But none of these places hold the number one spot.
To determine the top ten most expensive places in California, we used Saturday Nightt Science to compare the cost of living and American Community Survey data for The Golden State: specifically, home to income ratio and rent to income ratio. We considered the 426 California with at least 5,000 residents. If you want to live in California’s most expensive places, you will have to make at least $127,979/year.
Many of the most expensive places on this list are some of Califonia’s best places, and that’s because these places have the funds to keep its residents happy, safe, and living their best life.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In California For 2025
What’s the most expensive place to live in California? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Atherton is the most expensive place to live in California.
Calipatria (the cheapest place to live in California) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about California and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In California For 2025
/10
Population: 7,021
Cost Of Living Index: 344
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x
More on Atherton: Data
The overall cost of living in Atherton is 344. The median income in Atherton comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 30,736
Cost Of Living Index: 342
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x
More on Los Altos: Data
The overall cost of living in Los Altos is 342. The median income in Los Altos comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 11,122
Cost Of Living Index: 342
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x
More on Hillsborough: Data
The overall cost of living in Hillsborough is 342. The median income in Hillsborough comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 8,367
Cost Of Living Index: 335
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x
More on Los Altos Hills: Data
The overall cost of living in Los Altos Hills is 335. The median income in Los Altos Hills comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 5,181
Cost Of Living Index: 334
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x
More on Woodside: Data
The overall cost of living in Woodside is 334. The median income in Woodside comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 9,035
Cost Of Living Index: 321
Median Income: $212,794
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.4x
More on Tiburon: Data
The overall cost of living in Tiburon is 321. The median income in Tiburon comes in at $212,794 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 31,955
Cost Of Living Index: 314
Median Income: $127,979
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 15.6x
More on Beverly Hills: Data
The overall cost of living in Beverly Hills is 314. The median income in Beverly Hills comes in at $127,979 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 10,516
Cost Of Living Index: 313
Median Income: $192,159
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 10.4x
More on Malibu: Data
The overall cost of living in Malibu is 313. The median income in Malibu comes in at $192,159 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 30,335
Cost Of Living Index: 311
Median Income: $241,348
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.3x
More on Saratoga: Data
The overall cost of living in Saratoga is 311. The median income in Saratoga comes in at $241,348 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
/10
Population: 67,231
Cost Of Living Index: 302
Median Income: $220,408
Average Home Price: $2,000,001
Home Price To Income Ratio: 9.1x
More on Palo Alto: Data
The overall cost of living in Palo Alto is 302. The median income in Palo Alto comes in at $220,408 and the average home value is $2,000,001 for 2025.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Golden State For 2025
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in California are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2019-2023 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in California to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 426 places in California that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in California according to the data is Atherton. We updated this article for 2025. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in California.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In California For 2025
Well, there you have it, the places in California that have the highest cost of living, with Atherton ranking as the most expensive city in the Golden State.
The most expensive cities in California are Atherton, Los Altos, Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills, Woodside, Tiburon, Beverly Hills, Malibu, Saratoga, and Palo Alto.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in California according to the data:
- Calipatria
- Holtville
- El Centro
For more California reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In California
- Cheapest Places To Live In California
- Most Dangerous Cities In California
- Best Places To Raise A Family In California
- Safest Places In California
- Worst Places To Live In California
Most Expensive Cities In California
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Atherton | 344 | 7,021 | $250,001 | $2,000,001 | 8.0x |
| 2 | Los Altos | 342 | 30,736 | $250,001 | $2,000,001 | 8.0x |
| 3 | Hillsborough | 342 | 11,122 | $250,001 | $2,000,001 | 8.0x |
| 4 | Los Altos Hills | 335 | 8,367 | $250,001 | $2,000,001 | 8.0x |
| 5 | Woodside | 334 | 5,181 | $250,001 | $2,000,001 | 8.0x |
| 6 | Tiburon | 321 | 9,035 | $212,794 | $2,000,001 | 9.4x |
| 7 | Beverly Hills | 314 | 31,955 | $127,979 | $2,000,001 | 15.6x |
| 8 | Malibu | 313 | 10,516 | $192,159 | $2,000,001 | 10.4x |
| 9 | Saratoga | 311 | 30,335 | $241,348 | $2,000,001 | 8.3x |
| 10 | Palo Alto | 302 | 67,231 | $220,408 | $2,000,001 | 9.1x |
| 11 | Palos Verdes Estates | 289 | 13,047 | $247,500 | $2,000,001 | 8.1x |
| 12 | Piedmont | 289 | 11,012 | $250,001 | $2,000,001 | 8.0x |
| 13 | San Marino | 288 | 12,279 | $187,633 | $2,000,001 | 10.7x |
| 14 | Menlo Park | 284 | 32,775 | $206,588 | $2,000,001 | 9.7x |
| 15 | Newport Beach | 282 | 84,304 | $158,461 | $2,000,001 | 12.6x |
| 16 | Manhattan Beach | 277 | 34,584 | $193,904 | $2,000,001 | 10.3x |
| 17 | Burlingame | 273 | 30,526 | $168,832 | $2,000,001 | 11.8x |
| 18 | Laguna Beach | 261 | 22,777 | $140,508 | $2,000,001 | 14.2x |
| 19 | Los Gatos | 257 | 32,773 | $207,891 | $2,000,001 | 9.6x |
| 20 | Coronado | 254 | 18,558 | $135,056 | $1,998,900 | 14.8x |
| 21 | Cupertino | 249 | 58,886 | $231,139 | $2,000,001 | 8.7x |
| 22 | Mill Valley | 247 | 14,064 | $208,466 | $2,000,001 | 9.6x |
| 23 | Sausalito | 240 | 7,171 | $173,030 | $1,858,900 | 10.7x |
| 24 | Orinda | 239 | 19,472 | $250,001 | $1,804,400 | 7.2x |
| 25 | San Carlos | 235 | 29,797 | $233,333 | $2,000,001 | 8.6x |
| 26 | Hermosa Beach | 235 | 19,248 | $152,019 | $2,000,001 | 13.2x |
| 27 | Larkspur | 235 | 12,856 | $134,744 | $1,805,100 | 13.4x |
| 28 | Rolling Hills Estates | 234 | 8,158 | $187,500 | $1,602,300 | 8.5x |
| 29 | Lafayette | 232 | 25,277 | $222,393 | $2,000,001 | 9.0x |
| 30 | Corte Madera | 232 | 10,101 | $220,771 | $1,702,000 | 7.7x |
| 31 | Belmont | 229 | 27,505 | $207,609 | $2,000,001 | 9.6x |
| 32 | Villa Park | 228 | 5,776 | $204,750 | $1,686,200 | 8.2x |
| 33 | Millbrae | 227 | 22,589 | $157,567 | $1,929,700 | 12.2x |
| 34 | Santa Monica | 221 | 91,535 | $109,739 | $1,810,200 | 16.5x |
| 35 | Foster City | 221 | 32,964 | $193,633 | $1,774,500 | 9.2x |
| 36 | Rancho Palos Verdes | 219 | 41,259 | $175,307 | $1,541,400 | 8.8x |
| 37 | Mountain View | 217 | 82,363 | $179,917 | $1,927,400 | 10.7x |
| 38 | Solana Beach | 217 | 12,841 | $150,820 | $1,934,700 | 12.8x |
| 39 | Danville | 216 | 43,426 | $223,206 | $1,583,300 | 7.1x |
| 40 | Moraga | 216 | 16,790 | $199,800 | $1,597,600 | 8.0x |
| 41 | San Anselmo | 211 | 12,711 | $170,457 | $1,524,300 | 8.9x |
| 42 | Calabasas | 209 | 22,869 | $157,938 | $1,453,900 | 9.2x |
| 43 | Redwood City | 208 | 82,423 | $150,840 | $1,838,800 | 12.2x |
| 44 | Sunnyvale | 205 | 153,455 | $181,862 | $1,816,600 | 10.0x |
| 45 | San Mateo | 204 | 103,555 | $152,669 | $1,563,200 | 10.2x |
| 46 | La Habra Heights | 204 | 5,546 | $186,837 | $1,114,100 | 6.0x |
| 47 | San Francisco | 201 | 836,321 | $141,446 | $1,380,500 | 9.8x |
| 48 | San Ramon | 201 | 85,734 | $197,358 | $1,359,100 | 6.9x |
| 49 | Arcadia | 201 | 55,550 | $116,142 | $1,336,500 | 11.5x |
| 50 | St. Helena | 200 | 5,378 | $158,218 | $1,964,300 | 12.4x |
| 51 | Half Moon Bay | 199 | 11,454 | $153,199 | $1,467,000 | 9.6x |
| 52 | Pleasanton | 198 | 77,500 | $186,206 | $1,432,300 | 7.7x |
| 53 | Westlake Village | 198 | 7,829 | $174,069 | $1,212,800 | 7.0x |
| 54 | Campbell | 197 | 42,848 | $147,128 | $1,550,000 | 10.5x |
| 55 | Santa Barbara | 196 | 88,024 | $101,672 | $1,466,400 | 14.4x |
| 56 | South Pasadena | 196 | 26,297 | $128,105 | $1,545,100 | 12.1x |
| 57 | Berkeley | 194 | 120,223 | $108,558 | $1,351,100 | 12.4x |
| 58 | Sierra Madre | 192 | 11,020 | $141,094 | $1,172,200 | 8.3x |
| 59 | Santa Clara | 191 | 129,239 | $173,670 | $1,527,900 | 8.8x |
| 60 | San Rafael | 191 | 60,604 | $109,317 | $1,246,200 | 11.4x |
| 61 | Fairfax | 191 | 7,523 | $131,875 | $1,121,500 | 8.5x |
| 62 | El Segundo | 190 | 16,863 | $149,149 | $1,521,600 | 10.2x |
| 63 | Dublin | 188 | 70,542 | $205,046 | $1,224,100 | 6.0x |
| 64 | Encinitas | 188 | 61,585 | $150,471 | $1,466,000 | 9.7x |
| 65 | Dana Point | 188 | 32,883 | $127,246 | $1,200,900 | 9.4x |
| 66 | Pacifica | 187 | 37,527 | $156,819 | $1,211,700 | 7.7x |
| 67 | Fremont | 186 | 228,518 | $176,350 | $1,289,400 | 7.3x |
| 68 | San Clemente | 186 | 63,510 | $134,735 | $1,220,500 | 9.1x |
| 69 | Irvine | 184 | 308,160 | $129,647 | $1,115,400 | 8.6x |
| 70 | Redondo Beach | 184 | 69,814 | $144,588 | $1,225,400 | 8.5x |
| 71 | Santa Cruz | 184 | 60,953 | $111,427 | $1,180,100 | 10.6x |
| 72 | Albany | 183 | 19,768 | $135,927 | $1,188,600 | 8.7x |
| 73 | San Bruno | 182 | 42,612 | $135,976 | $1,199,400 | 8.8x |
| 74 | Laguna Niguel | 181 | 64,023 | $140,605 | $1,123,000 | 8.0x |
| 75 | Scotts Valley | 181 | 12,138 | $140,887 | $1,092,000 | 7.8x |
| 76 | Clayton | 181 | 10,962 | $172,226 | $1,017,300 | 5.9x |
| 77 | San Jose | 180 | 990,054 | $141,565 | $1,187,800 | 8.4x |
| 78 | Milpitas | 180 | 78,216 | $176,822 | $1,180,000 | 6.7x |
| 79 | Alameda | 180 | 76,876 | $132,015 | $1,203,900 | 9.1x |
| 80 | South San Francisco | 180 | 64,487 | $135,909 | $1,160,100 | 8.5x |
| 81 | Walnut Creek | 179 | 69,790 | $135,665 | $1,031,100 | 7.6x |
| 82 | Yorba Linda | 179 | 67,407 | $152,060 | $1,091,700 | 7.2x |
| 83 | Pacific Grove | 179 | 15,003 | $105,568 | $1,129,400 | 10.7x |
| 84 | Novato | 178 | 52,689 | $112,193 | $1,007,100 | 9.0x |
| 85 | Walnut | 178 | 27,857 | $133,762 | $972,500 | 7.3x |
| 86 | Agoura Hills | 178 | 19,881 | $171,944 | $1,072,200 | 6.2x |
| 87 | Monterey | 176 | 29,772 | $104,110 | $1,003,300 | 9.6x |
| 88 | El Cerrito | 176 | 25,781 | $127,475 | $1,107,500 | 8.7x |
| 89 | Daly City | 175 | 102,560 | $119,570 | $1,092,700 | 9.1x |
| 90 | Culver City | 175 | 39,993 | $122,312 | $1,126,900 | 9.2x |
| 91 | Sonoma | 175 | 10,726 | $101,281 | $954,300 | 9.4x |
| 92 | Cerritos | 174 | 48,340 | $133,953 | $908,600 | 6.8x |
| 93 | Huntington Beach | 173 | 196,010 | $119,885 | $1,047,300 | 8.7x |
| 94 | Carlsbad | 173 | 114,500 | $139,326 | $1,156,900 | 8.3x |
| 95 | Los Alamitos | 173 | 11,784 | $98,539 | $1,003,900 | 10.2x |
| 96 | Torrance | 172 | 143,499 | $113,105 | $1,036,600 | 9.2x |
| 97 | Livermore | 172 | 85,870 | $153,602 | $1,038,600 | 6.8x |
| 98 | Laguna Hills | 172 | 30,921 | $122,778 | $944,000 | 7.7x |
| 99 | Thousand Oaks | 171 | 125,676 | $134,367 | $951,200 | 7.1x |
| 100 | Costa Mesa | 171 | 110,538 | $110,073 | $1,054,700 | 9.6x |