Riverside, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Riverside, CA Summary

Cost of living in Riverside 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 Riverside 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 Riverside is 124, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Riverside is 1.2x higher than the national average.

  • Riverside ranks as the #226 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Riverside ranks as the #4,999 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Riverside is $418,000.

  • The median income in Riverside is $76,755.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
124
Riverside's Overall Cost Of Living
1.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Riverside, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Riverside has an overall cost of living index of 124, which is 1.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Riverside has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Riverside ranks as #226 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Riverside ranks as the #409 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Riverside, check out:

226 out of 635
In California
4,999 out of 6,412
In America

Riverside Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Riverside is 114.

  • The Groceries index in Riverside is 115.

  • The Health index in Riverside is 107.

  • The Housing index in Riverside is 148.

  • The Transportation index in Riverside is 137.

  • The Utilities index in Riverside is 87.

Living Expense Riverside California National Average
Overall 124 139 100
Services 114 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 107 109 100
Housing 148 204 100
Transportation 137 126 100
Utilities 87 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Riverside Cost of Living Vs. CA

Riverside, 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 Riverside is $418,000.

  • The Median Rent in Riverside is $1,568.

  • The Median Income in Riverside is $76,755.

  • The Home Value To Income in Riverside is 5.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Riverside is 0.25x.

Statistic Riverside California United States
Median Home Value $418,000 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,568 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $76,755 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 5.4x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Riverside, CA
$418,000
Median Home Value
$1,568
Median Rent
$76,755
Median Income

Riverside, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Riverside Services Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside 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 Riverside Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside 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 Riverside Health Costs Vs. California

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

Detailed Riverside Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside California
Gasoline $3.32 $2.22
Tire Balancing $52.6 $50.07

Detailed Riverside Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Riverside California
All Electricity $138.7 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Riverside SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
9.5
Education
6
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Riverside

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

  • Rancho Cucamonga, CA has a cost of living index of 142, 1.1x Riverside.

  • Corona, CA has a cost of living index of 134, 1.1x Riverside.

  • Jurupa Valley, CA has a cost of living index of 122, 1.0x Riverside.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Riverside
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 173,946 142 1.1x
Corona, CA 157,844 134 1.1x
Jurupa Valley, CA 104,684 122 1.0x
Upland, CA 78,624 139 1.1x
Chino Hills, CA 78,229 159 1.3x
Eastvale, CA 68,539 154 1.2x
Colton, CA 53,894 112 0.9x
El Cerrito, CA 25,898 177 1.4x
Loma Linda, CA 24,712 122 1.0x
Bloomington, CA 22,107 114 0.9x

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