San Marcos, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In San Marcos, CA Summary

Cost of living in San Marcos 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 San Marcos 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 San Marcos is 143, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in San Marcos is 1.4x higher than the national average.

  • San Marcos ranks as the #378 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • San Marcos ranks as the #5,677 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in San Marcos is $616,600.

  • The median income in San Marcos is $90,620.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
143
San Marcos's Overall Cost Of Living
1.4x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in San Marcos, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Marcos has an overall cost of living index of 143, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, San Marcos has a cost of living index that's 1.0x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in San Marcos ranks as #378 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Marcos ranks as the #257 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in San Marcos, check out:

378 out of 635
In California
5,677 out of 6,412
In America

San Marcos Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in San Marcos is 112.

  • The Groceries index in San Marcos is 115.

  • The Health index in San Marcos is 109.

  • The Housing index in San Marcos is 203.

  • The Transportation index in San Marcos is 137.

  • The Utilities index in San Marcos is 127.

Living Expense San Marcos California National Average
Overall 143 139 100
Services 112 110 100
Groceries 115 112 100
Health 109 109 100
Housing 203 204 100
Transportation 137 126 100
Utilities 127 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
San Marcos Cost of Living Vs. CA

San Marcos, 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 San Marcos is $616,600.

  • The Median Rent in San Marcos is $1,873.

  • The Median Income in San Marcos is $90,620.

  • The Home Value To Income in San Marcos is 6.8x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in San Marcos is 0.25x.

Statistic San Marcos California United States
Median Home Value $616,600 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,873 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $90,620 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 6.8x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.25x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In San Marcos, CA
$616,600
Median Home Value
$1,873
Median Rent
$90,620
Median Income

San Marcos, CA Costs By Category

Detailed San Marcos Services Costs Vs. California

Item San Marcos California
Shampoo $1.2 $1.06
Movie $14.42 $10.68
Bowling $22.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.68 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.57 $39.05

Detailed San Marcos Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item San Marcos California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.43 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed San Marcos Health Costs Vs. California

Item San Marcos California
Optometrist $117.65 $108.57
Doctor $125.0 $116.17
Dentist $107.18 $99.13

Detailed San Marcos Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item San Marcos California
Gasoline $3.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.47 $50.07

Detailed San Marcos Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item San Marcos California
All Electricity $247.56 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

San Marcos SnackAbility

8.5
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9.5
Affordability
4
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Marcos

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

  • Oceanside, CA has a cost of living index of 140, 1.0x San Marcos.

  • Escondido, CA has a cost of living index of 136, 1.0x San Marcos.

  • Carlsbad, CA has a cost of living index of 175, 1.2x San Marcos.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. San Marcos
Oceanside, CA 174,461 140 1.0x
Escondido, CA 151,443 136 1.0x
Carlsbad, CA 114,858 175 1.2x
Vista, CA 98,651 139 1.0x
Encinitas, CA 62,140 193 1.3x
Poway, CA 49,005 160 1.1x
Fallbrook, CA 32,999 139 1.0x
Camp Pendleton South, CA 15,131 150 1.0x
Solana Beach, CA 13,025 217 1.5x
Valley Center, CA 11,435 147 1.0x

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