F
154%
Overall NAT. AVG.
13%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
480%
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 Solana Beach California National
Cost of living254140100
Goods & Services113111100
Groceries116112100
Health care105109100
Housing580196100
Transportation127126100
Utilities107127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Solana Beach, CA

Understanding the cost of living in Solana Beach can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The Solana Beach cost of living index is 254, which is 154% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.

If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Solana Beach is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Solana Beach falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs significantly influence the Solana Beach cost of living index, typically accounting for a substantial portion of one's post-tax income. Regrettably, within this particular region, expenses related to both residential ownership and renting exceeded those observed in an average city by 480.3%. This entails elements such as housing and rental prices, mortgage interest rates and insurance costs.

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

Is Solana Beach Affordable?

Is Solana Beach an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Solana Beach, the median home price is 621.8% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 149.9% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Solana Beach come in at $106,904, which is 93.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Solana Beach?

Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In Solana Beach, the utilities index registers at 7.1% higher than the national average.

Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Solana Beach, the groceries index is 15.6% higher than the national average.

Subsidies: Certain cities or states may implement government subsidies or assistance programs with the goal of alleviating the cost of living pressures on their residents. These programs encompass a broad spectrum of support mechanisms, including Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and farming subsidies. Areas offering fewer subsidies may experience a rise in their cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Solana Beach 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 Solana Beach is 82% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Solana Beach is 154% higher than the national average
  • Solana Beach housing is 480% 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 Solana Beach

See all the best places to live around Solana Beach

Compare Solana Beach, 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$144,933$12,078$3,382$4,348
      Renters$74,167$6,181$1,730$2,225
      The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Solana Beach, CA, as well as the overall cost of living. As a general rule of thumb, the debt-to-income ratio (DTI) for homeowners or renters should be not more than 28 percent of gross income to be spent on housing related costs and not more than 36 percent of income on all expenses, including debts. The median income for Solana Beach homeowners, is $144,933. This would allow for a maximum of $3,382 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $74,167 which would result in a maximum of $1,730 to be spent on rental 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 Solana Beach 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 Solana Beach 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 Solana Beach 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 Solana Beach National avg. Difference
      Home Price $1,333,200.00$184,700.00621.8%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $5,168.91$2,346.69120.3%
      Apartment Rent $2,372.00$949.00149.9%

      Transportation

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

      Utilities

      Item Solana Beach 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.
      Escondido, CA150,39614848.4%
      Vista, CA100,65915353.5%
      Oceanside, CA175,69415858.1%
      San Marcos, CA96,21916363.4%
      Lake San Marcos, CA3,95717070.2%
      Solana Beach, CA13,301254153.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Saint-Amable, QC13,300n/a 
      Kettering, MD13,30213534.7%
      Rendon, TX13,29411313.2%
      Superior, CO13,29215858.1%
      Huron, SD13,2898317.1%
      Solana Beach, CA13,301254153.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.