Oakland, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Oakland, CA Summary

Cost of living in Oakland 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 Oakland 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 Oakland is 157, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Oakland ranks as the #447 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Oakland ranks as the #5,961 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Oakland is $772,400.

  • The median income in Oakland is $85,628.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
157
Oakland's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Oakland, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Oakland has an overall cost of living index of 157, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Oakland has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Oakland ranks as #447 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Oakland ranks as the #188 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Oakland, check out:

447 out of 635
In California
5,961 out of 6,412
In America

Oakland Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Oakland is 117.

  • The Groceries index in Oakland is 134.

  • The Health index in Oakland is 122.

  • The Housing index in Oakland is 228.

  • The Transportation index in Oakland is 145.

  • The Utilities index in Oakland is 134.

Living Expense Oakland California National Average
Overall 157 139 100
Services 117 110 100
Groceries 134 112 100
Health 122 109 100
Housing 228 204 100
Transportation 145 126 100
Utilities 134 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Oakland Cost of Living Vs. CA

Oakland, 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 Oakland is $772,400.

  • The Median Rent in Oakland is $1,676.

  • The Median Income in Oakland is $85,628.

  • The Home Value To Income in Oakland is 9.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Oakland is 0.23x.

Statistic Oakland California United States
Median Home Value $772,400 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,676 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $85,628 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 9.0x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.23x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Oakland, CA
$772,400
Median Home Value
$1,676
Median Rent
$85,628
Median Income

Oakland, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Oakland Services Costs Vs. California

Item Oakland 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 Oakland Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Oakland 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 Oakland Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Oakland Transportation Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Oakland Utilities Costs Vs. California

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

Oakland SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
2
Amenities
10
Education
8
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Oakland

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

  • Berkeley, CA has a cost of living index of 194, 1.2x Oakland.

  • San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 205, 1.3x Oakland.

  • San Leandro, CA has a cost of living index of 150, 1.0x Oakland.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Oakland
Berkeley, CA 119,607 194 1.2x
San Mateo, CA 105,087 205 1.3x
San Leandro, CA 91,176 150 1.0x
San Ramon, CA 85,688 201 1.3x
Alameda, CA 78,320 181 1.2x
San Bruno, CA 43,775 184 1.2x
San Carlos, CA 30,754 237 1.5x
San Lorenzo, CA 30,420 151 1.0x
Belmont, CA 28,109 231 1.5x
Ashland, CA 23,640 138 0.9x

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