Cost of Living in California for Students & Family in 2024

What is the Average Cost of Living in California?

The average cost of living in California yearly is $53,082. Based on that figure, living in California would cost $9,423 per month. Here's how it splits down into main expenditure areas.

Area of Expense Cost
Rent $9,972
Groceries $3,865
Basic Utilities $1,039
Transport $500
Shopping $10,704
Schooling Of Children $5,000

Cost of Living in California for Bachelors

The cost of living in California for a bachelor's degree varies greatly depending on the city, lifestyle, and budget. The following  table is an overview of typical monthly costs for a bachelor living in California:

Area of Expense Bachelors
Accommodation $1,500 - $3,500
Groceries $300 - $500
Transport $100 - $250
Utilities $150 - $200
Entertainment and Shopping $150 - $250
Miscellaneous $100 - $200

Cost of Living in California for Students

If you are a student residing in California, then defining a budget of the living expenses is necessary to check out. The table below outlines some of the significant costs:

Area of Expense Students
Rent (shared apartment) $800 - $1500
Rent (single room PG) $700 - $1200
Food (monthly) $300 - $600
Transportation (monthly) $80 - $120
Utilities (monthly) $100 - $200
Household expenses $100 - $00
Miscellaneous $100 - $200
Bus Pass/Metro Pass $80 - $120

Cost of Living in California for a Family

Various factors, including the number of children, location, lifestyle, and housing requirements, determine the cost of living in California for a family. 

The following is an overview of average costs for a family living in California: Check out the table below:

Area of Expense Families
Accommodation $53,022- $70,000
Groceries $298
Transport $12,343
Utilities $380
Shopping $1,500
Education $1,200
WiFi $0.44

Cost of Living in California for Couples

Living in California as a couple could require a monthly income of $20,000-$30,000, depending on your lifestyle and additional expenses. Learn more about the expenses in the table below.

Area Of Expenses Couples
1 BHK apartment for rent $2,000 - $3,000
2 BHK apartment for rent $2,500 - $4,000
Electricity bill $100 - $200
Bus pass $80- $120
Wi-Fi $40 - $80
Groceries $400- $700
Meal for two $50 - $150
Miscellaneous $100 - $300

Factors That Determine the Cost of Living in California

Various elements affect the average cost of living in California. Let's look at those factors.

 

1. Accommodation

The table below shows the price range of renting a living space in California.

Classification of Rentals Price Range
1 BHK $1,785
2 BHK $2,480
3 BHK $4,714

Here’s a breakdown of the approximate costs of buying and renting in some of the most affordable areas of California:

 

Most Affordable Areas

City/Area Average Home Price Average Rent (1-Bedroom)
Bakersfield $350,000 $1,300 per month
Clovis $514,600 $1,451 per month
Fresno $384,100 $1,5075 per month
Chico $465,500 $1,050per month

Most Posh Areas

City/Area Average Home Price Average Rent (1-Bedroom)
Riverside $550,000 $1,900 per month
San Bernardino $65,000 $1,700 per month
Lancaster $8,000,000 $1,580 per month

2. Transportation

Public transit is cheaper and more widely available throughout California; however, fares vary from area to area. However, in California, the life expenditures associated with owning a personal automobile are significantly greater.

Category Approximate Cost
One-way ticket (public transport) $2
Monthly pass (public transport) $50
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff) $3
Taxi 1km (Normal Tariff) $2
Taxi 1 hour Waiting (Normal Tariff) $29
Gasoline (1 liter) $1

3. Groceries

California's average spending per person on groceries is $3,865, which translates to $322.08 per person every month. For the average household of four, this might result in a monthly grocery spend of $1,288.

The following table shows a breakdown of costs.

Grocery Price
Milk (regular), (1 litre) $1
Fresh Bread (500g) $5
Rice (white), (1kg) $6
Eggs (regular) (1 dozen) $5
Local Cheese (1kg) $14
Chicken 1 kg (boneless) $17
Apples (1kg) $5.99
Banana (1kg) $2.32
Oranges (1kg) $3.65
Tomato (1kg) $5.13
Potato (1kg) $2.99
Onion (1kg) $2.62
Lettuce (1 head) $1.98

4. Utilities

The table shows the cost for heating, electricity, cooling, garbage and water every month.

Monthly Utilities Price
Basic (heating, cooling, electricity, water) for a house $183
Prepaid mobile bill $63
Internet for cable, ADSL, unlimited data $73

5. Entertainment

The table shows the area of expenses every month on entrainment, please checkout below: 

Area of Expense Approximate Cost
Meal for 2 People, Mid-range Restaurant $120
1 morning cappuccino $5
Water $2
Cinema (1 seat) $10
Beer $8
Coke / Pepsi $3
Mc Meal at McDonalds $12.00

6. Childcare

Apart from all the factors, the cost of living in California also depends on childcare and education. 

Schools and Childcare Price
Preschool or kindergarten, full day, private, monthly for 1 Child $1,950
Primary schools $28,750

Tips on Reducing the Cost of Living in California

Cost of Living in California vs Other Metro Cities

California has a more affordable cost of living than Los Angeles, but is similar to San Diego. San Francisco has the most expensive overall pricing than others.

Check out the chart below for additional information on expenses.

Area of Expense California ($) Los Angeles ($) San Francisco ($) San Diego ($)
Accommodation $2,000 - $4,000 $2,500 - $4,000 $3,000 - $5,500 $2,200 - $4,000
Utilities $150 - $250 $150 - $300 $200 - $300 $150 - $250
Groceries $400 - $700 $400 - $800 $500 - $800 $350 - $600
Transportation $100 - $300 $100 - $400 $150 - $600 $100 - $250
Dining Out $200 - $500 $250 - $600 $350 - $700 $200 - $500
Entertainment $150 - $300 $200 - $400 $200 - $500 $150 - $350
Education $900 - $2000 $1000 - $2,500 $1,200 - $3,000 $900 - $2,200
Healthcare $500 - $1,000 $500 - $1,200 $600 - $1,500 $450 - $900
Overall Cost $5,000 - $9,950 $7,000 - $12,000 $8,000 - $15,000 $4,850 - $9,900
Overall Verdict Moderate High Very High Moderate

Important Things to Know Before Moving to California

FAQs about the Cost of Living in California