Here’s the Cost of Living in 26 Sunny California Cities: Could You Afford To Live There?
The allure of California’s golden-sand beaches and relaxed lifestyle attracts new residents every year. The state has something for everyone — a burgeoning tech scene, a lively entertainment industry — hello, Hollywood! — and jaw-dropping scenic towns like Lake Tahoe and Big Sur.
However, the cost of living in California isn’t cheap. Here’s a look at the livability index and cost of living for 26 of California’s sunniest cities.
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Imperial
Population: 20,430
Livability: 69
Average home value: $389,685
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,319
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,090
Total monthly cost of living: $4,409
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San Bernardino
Population: 221,041
Livability: 58
Average home value: $491,291
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,924
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,041
Total monthly cost of living: $4,965
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Riverside
Population: 316,076
Livability: 67
Average home value: $645,595
Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,842
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,066
Total monthly cost of living: $5,908
Merced
Population: 87,686
Livability: 78
Average home value: $394,395
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,347
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,160
Total monthly cost of living: $4,507
San Joaquin
Population: 3,725
Livability: 44
Average home value: $272,968
Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,625
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,024
Total monthly cost of living: $3,648
San Diego
Population: 1,383,987
Livability: 75
Average home value: $1,163,681
Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,926
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,367
Total monthly cost of living: $9,293
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Fresno
Population: 541,528
Livability: 63
Average home value: $391,610
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,331
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,077
Total monthly cost of living: $4,408
Orange
Population: 138,728
Livability: 71
Average home value: $1,134,680
Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,753
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,093
Total monthly cost of living: $8,846
Sacramento
Population: 523,600
Livability: 73
Average home value: $491,908
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,928
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,231
Total monthly cost of living: $5,158
Tulare
Population: 69,261
Livability: 61
Average home value: $340,578
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,027
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,079
Total monthly cost of living: $4,106
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Sutter
Population: 2,848
Livability: 65
Average home value: $410,399
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,442
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,213
Total monthly cost of living: $4,656
Alameda
Population: 77,565
Livability: 69
Average home value: $1,318,155
Average monthly mortgage cost: $7,845
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,304
Total monthly cost of living: $10,149
Madera
Population: 66,784
Livability: 52
Average home value: $404,126
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,405
Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,996
Total monthly cost of living: $4,401
Los Angeles
Population: 3,881,041
Livability: 67
Average home value: $1,043,216
Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,209
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,199
Total monthly cost of living: $8,408
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San Luis Obispo
Population: 47,529
Livability: 72
Average home value: $1,145,195
Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,816
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,019
Total monthly cost of living: $8,835
Monterey
Population: 30,007
Livability: 78
Average home value: $1,260,460
Average monthly mortgage cost: $7,502
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,183
Total monthly cost of living: $9,685
San Francisco
Population: 851,036
Livability: 75
Average home value: $1,437,512
Average monthly mortgage cost: $8,555
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,630
Total monthly cost of living: $11,185
Colusa
Population: 6,380
Livability: 70
Average home value: $368,889
Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,195
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,123
Total monthly cost of living: $4,319
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Santa Barbara
Population: 88,640
Livability: 73
Average home value: $1,993,142
Average monthly mortgage cost: $11,862
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,117
Total monthly cost of living: $13,979
Santa Clara
Population: 128,058
Livability: 79
Average home value: $1,835,803
Average monthly mortgage cost: $10,926
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,347
Total monthly cost of living: $13,273
San Mateo
Population: 104,165
Livability: 81
Average home value: $1,880,062
Average monthly mortgage cost: $11,189
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,442
Total monthly cost of living: $13,631
Napa
Population: 79,233
Livability: 72
Average home value: $950,072
Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,654
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,155
Total monthly cost of living: $7,810
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Alpine
Population: 15,911
Livability: 56
Average home value: $995,684
Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,926
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,248
Total monthly cost of living: $8,173
Santa Cruz
Population: 61,367
Livability: 74
Average home value: $1,419,841
Average monthly mortgage cost: $8,450
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,188
Total monthly cost of living: $10,638
Sonoma
Population: 10,702
Livability: 73
Average home value: $1,063,240
Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,328
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,221
Total monthly cost of living: $8,549
Mendocino
Population: 731
Livability: 62
Average home value: $902,002
Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,368
Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,039
Total monthly cost of living: $7,407
For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the sunniest cities in the United States to find the cost of expenses. First, GOBankingRates found the sunniest cities by using the National Centers for Environmental Information’s Climate at a Glance data to find the total amount of precipitation a location received from March 2023 to April 2024, in order to estimate the amount of sunshine a location gets. For each city, a number of factors were found, including: cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, livability index as sourced from AreaVibes and the average single family home value from April 2024 as sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index. The cost of living indexes were used along with the average expenditure cost for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, to find the average cost of expenditures in each city. By assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated for each city. Using the mortgage and expenditure costs, the total average monthly cost of living can be calculated. The cost of living expenditures were listed to show some of the monthly expenditure costs, including grocery, transportation, utilities, healthcare and misc. The cities were sorted to show the sunniest cities first. Only cities located in California were included for this piece. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 4, 2024.
Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s the Cost of Living in 26 Sunny California Cities: Could You Afford To Live There?
