Cost of Living in La Quinta, CA

An Overview of Cost of Living in La Quinta, CA

Getting a feel for the cost of living in La Quinta is essential for anyone planning to relocate, as it empowers them to make informed financial decisions, secure a comfortable lifestyle and maintain financial stability in their new environment. The cost of living in La Quinta is 139, which is 39% higher than the national average. Relocating individuals may need to adjust their savings and investment strategies based on the cost of living in the new location. It influences decisions about retirement planning, investments and financial goals.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, La Quinta may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, La Quinta falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

When it comes to the cost of living in La Quinta, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 98.1% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.

Recurring goods and services expenses like haircuts, toothpaste, gym memberships and movie nights are a big part of your spending and make up 33% of the cost of living index. In La Quinta, these items will cost you 12.6% more than what most folks pay, making it a bit more expensive to live here.

Groceries are getting more expensive by the day and the cost of groceries makes up 13% of the overall cost of living index. In the past two years, prices have shot up by over 10%! Unfortunately, in La Quinta, it's the same story – grocery costs are 15.6% higher than what people pay across the country.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in La Quinta?

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 10 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in La Quinta. The results indicated that 60% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 40% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is La Quinta Affordable?

Is La Quinta an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in La Quinta is 119.4% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 48.4% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. La Quinta has a median household income of $75,724, which is 36.9% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in La Quinta?

Utilities: Much like any other costs, utility expenses can exhibit considerable variations, influenced by factors such as climate, available energy sources, geographic location and state regulations. The costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can vary significantly depending on the city or state in question. In La Quinta, the utilities index stands at 7.1% higher than the national average.

Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In La Quinta, the groceries index registers 15.6% higher than the national average.

Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The La Quinta cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. The index takes into account data from 300 independent researches, covering more than 60 goods and services across 6 different categories, to create an overall index for each area, with 100 being the average. The C2ER index does not include sales or income tax rates in their data, however AreaVibes does include both income and sales tax rates in the overall cost of living score for each area.