Cost of Living in San Pablo, CA

An Overview of Cost of Living in San Pablo, CA

Knowing the cost of living in San Pablo allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in San Pablo stands at 142, marking it 42% higher than the national average.

If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, San Pablo 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, San Pablo falls within this bracket.

Housing costs are a very significant part of the San Pablo cost of living index and generally encompass a large percentage of take-home income. Unfortunately, in this area, the housing costs for both homes and rentals were 93.3% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.

Everyday goods and services make up 33% of the cost of living index and include things like clothing, personal hygiene products and entertainment which are a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Unfortunately, San Pablo goods and services are 14.1% more expensive than the national average, leaving you with less money at the end of the month.

The relentless increase in grocery prices is a noteworthy trend. In the last two years, grocery costs have experienced an upward trajectory of over 10%. Unfortunately, San Pablo is no exception, where grocery prices are 17.2% above the national average.

Is San Pablo Affordable?

Is San Pablo affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take San Pablo, for instance, where the median home price falls 106.1% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 63.3% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with San Pablo flaunting a median household income of $60,819, 9.9% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in San Pablo?

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In San Pablo, healthcare costs are 21.2% higher than the national average.

Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In San Pablo, the groceries index is 17.2% higher than the national average.

Transportation: In situations where public transportation is limited or nonexistent, local residents may be required to own and maintain their own vehicles, contributing to an elevated cost of living. Monthly expenditures may encompass fuel costs, insurance premiums, routine vehicle upkeep and possibly lease or financing payments. In San Pablo, the transportation index is 29.2% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The San Pablo 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.