Costa Mesa, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Costa Mesa, CA Summary

Cost of living in Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa 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 Costa Mesa is 165, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Costa Mesa is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Costa Mesa ranks as the #482 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Costa Mesa ranks as the #6,069 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Costa Mesa is $841,700.

  • The median income in Costa Mesa is $96,391.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
165
Costa Mesa's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Costa Mesa, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Costa Mesa has an overall cost of living index of 165, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Costa Mesa has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Costa Mesa ranks as #482 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Costa Mesa ranks as the #153 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Costa Mesa, check out:

482 out of 635
In California
6,069 out of 6,412
In America

Costa Mesa Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Costa Mesa is 111.

  • The Groceries index in Costa Mesa is 114.

  • The Health index in Costa Mesa is 107.

  • The Housing index in Costa Mesa is 294.

  • The Transportation index in Costa Mesa is 137.

  • The Utilities index in Costa Mesa is 87.

Living Expense Costa Mesa California National Average
Overall 165 139 100
Services 111 110 100
Groceries 114 112 100
Health 107 109 100
Housing 294 204 100
Transportation 137 126 100
Utilities 87 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Costa Mesa Cost of Living Vs. CA

Costa Mesa, 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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Costa Mesa is $841,700.

  • The Median Rent in Costa Mesa is $2,043.

  • The Median Income in Costa Mesa is $96,391.

  • The Home Value To Income in Costa Mesa is 8.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Costa Mesa is 0.25x.

Statistic Costa Mesa California United States
Median Home Value $841,700 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,043 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $96,391 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.7x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Costa Mesa, CA
$841,700
Median Home Value
$2,043
Median Rent
$96,391
Median Income

Costa Mesa, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Costa Mesa Services Costs Vs. California

Item Costa Mesa California
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $14.48 $10.68
Bowling $24.56 $14.67
Haircut $22.6 $18.62
Beauty Salon $66.25 $39.05

Detailed Costa Mesa Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Costa Mesa California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.66 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed Costa Mesa Health Costs Vs. California

Item Costa Mesa California
Optometrist $106.53 $108.57
Doctor $100.28 $116.17
Dentist $114.52 $99.13

Detailed Costa Mesa Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Costa Mesa California
Gasoline $3.32 $2.22
Tire Balancing $52.6 $50.07

Detailed Costa Mesa Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Costa Mesa California
All Electricity $138.7 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Costa Mesa SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Costa Mesa

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

  • Santa Ana, CA has a cost of living index of 136, 0.8x Costa Mesa.

  • Irvine, CA has a cost of living index of 182, 1.1x Costa Mesa.

  • Huntington Beach, CA has a cost of living index of 168, 1.0x Costa Mesa.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Costa Mesa
Santa Ana, CA 313,818 136 0.8x
Irvine, CA 297,868 182 1.1x
Huntington Beach, CA 198,735 168 1.0x
Garden Grove, CA 172,708 141 0.9x
Orange, CA 139,195 158 1.0x
Mission Viejo, CA 93,932 166 1.0x
Westminster, CA 91,267 151 0.9x
Newport Beach, CA 85,806 277 1.7x
Lake Forest, CA 85,516 159 1.0x
Lakewood, CA 82,419 143 0.9x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?