F
51%
Overall NAT. AVG.
13%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
137%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.
The cost of living index is based on a national average of 100. For example, if the cost of living is 90, then it is 10% lower than average. If the cost of living is 110, then it is 10% higher than average. The breakdown for each index is as follows: goods & services (33%), groceries (13%), health care (5%), housing (30%), transportation (9%) and utilities (10%). If the cost of living data was unavailable for this city, estimates based upon nearby cities were used.
Index Santee California National
Cost of living151140100
Goods & Services113111100
Groceries116112100
Health care105109100
Housing237196100
Transportation127126100
Utilities107127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Santee, CA

Knowing the cost of living in Santee 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 Santee stands at 151, marking it 51% higher than the national average.

If you value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Santee 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, Santee falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs are a very significant part of the Santee 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 136.7% more than the average city. This includes things like home and rent prices, mortgage rates and insurance.

Goods and services make up 33% of the total cost of living index score and are a large part of your everyday expenses. These items could include things like haircuts, salons, toothpaste, shampoo, clothes, movies, bowling, gym memberships or yoga. In Santee, you can expect to pay 12.6% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.

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, Santee is no exception, where grocery prices are 15.6% above the national average.

Is Santee Affordable?

Is Santee 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 Santee, for instance, where the median home price falls 158.8% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 85.1% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Santee flaunting a median household income of $85,826, 55.1% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Santee?

Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Santee, the utilities index registers 7.1% higher than the national average.

Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.

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 Santee, the transportation index is 27% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Santee 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.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Santee is 8% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Santee is 51% higher than the national average
  • Santee housing is 137% higher than the national average
  • California general sales tax is 42% higher than the national average
  • California state income tax is 61% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Santee

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Compare Santee, CA Cost of Living

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      Salary Calculator

      This is how much you would need to earn in
      Price difference in compared to
      Cost of living index
      Goods & Services index
      Groceries index
      Health care index
      Housing index
      Transportation index
      Utilities index

      Median Income & Debt-To-Income Ratio

      Median Income Per Year Per Month Max Budget (28% DTI) Max Budget (36% DTI)
      Owners$99,902$8,325$2,331$2,997
      Renters$61,694$5,141$1,439$1,851
      The affordability of the housing market in Santee, CA as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Santee homeowners, the median income is $99,902. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $2,331 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $61,694. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,439 for their rent related monthly costs.

      California Sales Tax

      State General Sales Tax With Max Surtax
      California 7.25% 10.5%

      California Income Tax

      State Income Tax (Low) Income Tax (High)
      California 1% 13.3%

      Goods & Services

      Item Santee National avg. Difference
      Haircut $26.92$24.2610.9%
      Beauty Salon $65.77$45.5644.3%
      Toothpaste $3.73$3.700.7%
      Shampoo $1.50$1.2817.1%
      Movie $16.89$12.1339.2%
      Bowling $24.67$18.0037.1%

      Groceries

      Item Santee National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.47$5.846.3%
      Fried Chicken $3.05$1.5793.7%
      Milk $4.98$4.676.5%
      Potatoes $4.94$4.930.0%
      Pizza $14.69$12.0921.5%
      Beer $11.25$10.418.1%

      Health Care

      Item Santee National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $138.66$125.6810.3%
      Doctor $132.50$135.782.4%
      Dentist $121.37$113.297.1%
      Ibuprofen $12.01$10.6512.7%
      Lipitor $508.17$468.608.4%

      Housing

      Item Santee National avg. Difference
      Home Price $478,000.00$184,700.00158.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $5,168.91$2,346.69120.3%
      Apartment Rent $1,757.00$949.0085.1%

      Transportation

      Item Santee National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.68$3.4635.1%
      Tire Balancing $64.40$59.927.5%

      Utilities

      Item Santee National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $223.42$193.9915.2%
      Phone $180.31$192.256.2%
      Although the cost of living data is updated regularly, this cost of living information is to be used as estimates only as prices can change on an ongoing basis.

      Nearby cities with low cost of living

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Spring Valley CDP (Lake County), CA1,1541055.2%
      Bostonia, CA17,53213939.2%
      National City, CA61,34214140.6%
      Lakeside, CA21,03214444.0%
      La Presa, CA37,41014444.1%
      Santee, CA57,40715150.8%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Midwest City, OK57,3928614.2%
      Richland, WA57,35311312.5%
      Bradenton, FL57,3461033.0%
      Hanford, CA57,33911716.6%
      Taunton, MA57,32711918.9%
      Santee, CA57,40715150.8%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.