Cost of Living in Rancho Mirage, CA

An Overview of Cost of Living in Rancho Mirage, CA

Getting a feel for the cost of living in Rancho Mirage 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 Rancho Mirage is 151, which is 51% 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're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Rancho Mirage may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Rancho Mirage falls within this bracket.

When it comes to the cost of living in Rancho Mirage, 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 144.5% 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 Rancho Mirage, these items will cost you 12% 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 Rancho Mirage, it's the same story – grocery costs are 13.1% higher than what people pay across the country.

Is Rancho Mirage Affordable?

Is Rancho Mirage affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Rancho Mirage, the median home price is 189% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 40.8% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Rancho Mirage boasting a median household income of $84,891, 53.4% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Rancho Mirage?

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Groceries: Over the past 2-3 years, grocery expenses have experienced substantial upward trends. In certain markets, food prices have surged by over 20% during this period, while others have witnessed more modest increases. These fluctuations in food costs can wield significant influence over the overall cost of living in a given region. In Rancho Mirage, the groceries index is 13.1% higher than the national average.

Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In Rancho Mirage, the transportation index is 23.9% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Rancho Mirage 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.