Monterey, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Monterey, CA Summary

Cost of living in Monterey 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 Monterey 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 Monterey is 180, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Monterey is 1.8x higher than the national average.

  • Monterey ranks as the #530 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Monterey ranks as the #6,208 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Monterey is $834,700.

  • The median income in Monterey is $85,365.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
180
Monterey's Overall Cost Of Living
1.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Monterey, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Monterey has an overall cost of living index of 180, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Monterey has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Monterey ranks as #530 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Monterey ranks as the #105 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Monterey, check out:

530 out of 635
In California
6,208 out of 6,412
In America

Monterey Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Monterey is 120.

  • The Groceries index in Monterey is 132.

  • The Health index in Monterey is 122.

  • The Housing index in Monterey is 299.

  • The Transportation index in Monterey is 143.

  • The Utilities index in Monterey is 137.

Living Expense Monterey California National Average
Overall 180 139 100
Services 120 110 100
Groceries 132 112 100
Health 122 109 100
Housing 299 204 100
Transportation 143 126 100
Utilities 137 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Monterey Cost of Living Vs. CA

Monterey, 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 Monterey is $834,700.

  • The Median Rent in Monterey is $1,925.

  • The Median Income in Monterey is $85,365.

  • The Home Value To Income in Monterey is 9.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Monterey is 0.27x.

Statistic Monterey California United States
Median Home Value $834,700 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,925 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $85,365 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 9.8x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Monterey, CA
$834,700
Median Home Value
$1,925
Median Rent
$85,365
Median Income

Monterey, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Monterey Services Costs Vs. California

Item Monterey California
Shampoo $1.39 $1.06
Movie $13.23 $10.68
Bowling $19.56 $14.67
Haircut $19.39 $18.62
Beauty Salon $67.86 $39.05

Detailed Monterey Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Monterey California
Ground Beef $3.73 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.89 $1.39
Milk $2.87 $2.05
Potatoes $3.35 $3.29
Pizza $12.66 $10.62
Beer $10.57 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.07 $2.34

Detailed Monterey Health Costs Vs. California

Item Monterey California
Optometrist $136.92 $108.57
Doctor $146.83 $116.17
Dentist $133.38 $99.13

Detailed Monterey Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Monterey California
Gasoline $3.38 $2.22
Tire Balancing $62.03 $50.07

Detailed Monterey Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Monterey California
All Electricity $269.4 $167.67
Phone $187.26 $175.64

Monterey SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
8.5
Safety
5
Amenities
9
Education
8.5
Commute
9

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Monterey

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

  • Salinas, CA has a cost of living index of 119, 0.7x Monterey.

  • Seaside, CA has a cost of living index of 126, 0.7x Monterey.

  • Marina, CA has a cost of living index of 129, 0.7x Monterey.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Monterey
Salinas, CA 163,004 119 0.7x
Seaside, CA 32,631 126 0.7x
Marina, CA 22,246 129 0.7x
Prunedale, CA 19,893 131 0.7x
Pacific Grove, CA 15,169 184 1.0x
Castroville, CA 6,665 110 0.6x

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