F
50%
Overall NAT. AVG.
16%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
131%
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 Oxnard California National
Cost of living150140100
Goods & Services116111100
Groceries112112100
Health care108109100
Housing231196100
Transportation124126100
Utilities112127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Oxnard, CA

The cost of living in Oxnard affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Oxnard is 150, which is 50% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.

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 Oxnard 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, Oxnard falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Oxnard, and they usually eat into a large part of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, both buying a home and renting one costs 131.1% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, 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 Oxnard, you can expect to pay 16.2% more than average for these items, making it a more expensive place to live.

The substantial and relentless rise in grocery prices definitely warrants some attention. Over the past two years, grocery expenses have escalated by more than 10%. Having said that, the situation in Oxnard is even less favorable, with grocery prices here being 12.2% higher than the national average.

Is Oxnard Affordable?

Is Oxnard 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 Oxnard, the median home price is 155.2% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 74.8% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Oxnard come in at $77,050, which is 39.3% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Oxnard?

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 Oxnard, the groceries index is 12.2% 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.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Oxnard, the housing index is 131.1% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Oxnard cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Oxnard is 8% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Oxnard is 50% higher than the national average
  • Oxnard housing is 131% higher than the national average
  • California general sales tax is 42% higher than the national average
  • California state income tax is 56% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Oxnard

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Compare Oxnard, 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$91,969$7,664$2,146$2,759
      Renters$58,224$4,852$1,358$1,747
      The percent of monthly income spent on housing can be a good indicator of the affordability of housing in Oxnard, 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 Oxnard homeowners, is $91,969. This would allow for a maximum of $2,146 per month to be spent on housing costs. For renters, the median monthly income is $58,224 which would result in a maximum of $1,358 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% 12.3%

      Goods & Services

      Item Oxnard National avg. Difference
      Haircut $24.67$24.261.7%
      Beauty Salon $49.33$45.568.3%
      Toothpaste $3.76$3.701.5%
      Shampoo $1.41$1.289.8%
      Movie $13.46$12.1311.0%
      Bowling $19.07$18.006.0%

      Groceries

      Item Oxnard National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.26$5.847.2%
      Fried Chicken $2.08$1.5732.2%
      Milk $4.76$4.671.9%
      Potatoes $4.94$4.930.2%
      Pizza $16.13$12.0933.5%
      Beer $9.60$10.417.8%

      Health Care

      Item Oxnard National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $129.09$125.682.7%
      Doctor $119.86$135.7811.7%
      Dentist $108.07$113.294.6%
      Ibuprofen $10.36$10.652.7%
      Lipitor $505.41$468.607.9%

      Housing

      Item Oxnard National avg. Difference
      Home Price $471,400.00$184,700.00155.2%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,799.02$2,346.6919.3%
      Apartment Rent $1,659.00$949.0074.8%

      Transportation

      Item Oxnard National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.47$3.4629.3%
      Tire Balancing $58.33$59.922.6%

      Utilities

      Item Oxnard National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $326.49$193.9968.3%
      Phone $182.78$192.254.9%
      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.
      Saticoy, CA1,73914040.4%
      Santa Paula, CA30,29714242.0%
      Port Hueneme, CA21,97914646.3%
      El Rio, CA6,50615453.5%
      Oak View, CA6,55716262.3%
      Oxnard, CA207,72215050.2%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Moreno Valley, CA208,75113130.6%
      Rochester, NY206,3578911.2%
      Birmingham, AL210,9288812.3%
      Fayetteville, NC211,201936.6%
      Oakville, ON212,353n/a 
      Oxnard, CA207,72215050.2%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.