| Index | Atascadero | California | National |
| Cost of living | 155 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 109 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 115 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 250 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 117 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 117 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 113 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 108 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 124 | 127 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Atascadero? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Atascadero stands at 155, making it 55% higher than the national average. The cost of living directly affects the affordability of one's desired lifestyle. Knowing the cost of housing, transportation, groceries and other essentials in the new area allows people to gauge whether they can maintain their preferred standard of living.
If you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Atascadero 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, Atascadero falls within this bracket.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Atascadero, 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 150.2% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Is Atascadero 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 Atascadero, for instance, where the median home price falls 194.1% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 47.9% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Atascadero flaunting a median household income of $116,887, 43.7% higher than the national norm.
Taxes: Locations with elevated tax rates, encompassing both sales and income taxes, can be a factor in driving up the cost of living. When you're paying more in taxes for everyday household expenses, it naturally translates into higher expenses. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can also contribute to an overall higher cost of living. In Atascadero, the standard sales tax rate starts at 7.25%, and the income tax rates commence at 1%.
Subsidies: Some cities and states may extend government subsidies or aid programs aimed at reducing the cost of living for their residents. These initiatives encompass diverse forms of support, 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 farm subsidies. Regions with limited subsidy provisions may witness an increase in their overall cost of living.
Transportation: If public transportation is limited or not available, residents may need to own and maintain vehicles, which can add to the cost of living. Gas, insurance, regular maintenance and potentially lease or finance payments will all need to be paid on a monthly basis. In Atascadero, the transportation index is 17% higher than the national average.
The Atascadero cost of living estimates above use a normalized U.S. average of 100 as the baseline for comparison. Housing values incorporate local home price and rental information from the U.S. Census, while all other estimates are AI-assisted and modeled using expected everyday expenses, local market trends, climate, and transportation-related cost pressures. The results are intended for practical city-to-city comparisons.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $142,777 | $11,898 | $3,331 | $4,284 |
| Renters | $91,578 | $7,632 | $2,137 | $2,748 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| California | 7.25% | 10.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| California | 1% | 13.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Creston, CA | 33 | 114 | 14.2% |
| Whitley Gardens, CA | 46 | 114 | 14.2% |
| Santa Margarita, CA | 1,050 | 146 | 45.8% |
| El Paso de Robles (Paso Robles), CA | 32,188 | 150 | 49.6% |
| Los Osos, CA | 16,776 | 164 | 64.3% |
| Atascadero, CA | 31,156 | 155 | 55.0% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Milford Mill, MD | 31,149 | 113 | 13.3% |
| Madison Heights, MI | 31,139 | 93 | 6.7% |
| Ballwin, MO | 31,123 | 111 | 10.6% |
| North Royalton, OH | 31,118 | 101 | 0.6% |
| Fountain, CO | 31,205 | 118 | 18.1% |
| Atascadero, CA | 31,156 | 155 | 55.0% |
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