F
63%
Overall NAT. AVG.
12%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
185%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Search Homes for Sale
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 Buena Park California National
Cost of living163140100
Goods & Services112111100
Groceries113112100
Health care99109100
Housing285196100
Transportation124126100
Utilities94127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Buena Park, CA

The cost of living in Buena Park 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 Buena Park is 163, which is 63% 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 Buena Park 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, Buena Park falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs are a major factor in the Buena Park cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 185.2% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.

The things you purchase regularly, like clothes, haircuts, movie tickets and gym memberships, can make a big dent in your budget and make up 33% of the cost of living index. Unfortunately in Buena Park, these items will cost you 12% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

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 Buena Park is even less favorable, with grocery prices here being 13.1% higher than the national average.

Is Buena Park Affordable?

Wondering if Buena Park is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Buena Park, for example, the median home price is 229.6% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 81.6% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Buena Park boasting a median household income of $84,680, which is 53.1% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Buena Park?

Groceries: Grocery costs have continued to increase significantly over the last 2-3 years. In some markets the cost of food has gone up by more than 20% in that period. While other markets have managed to see only a moderate uptick. These food costs can have a major impact on the cost of living in any area. In Buena Park, the groceries index is 13.1% higher than the national average.

Urbanization: Urban areas with extensive amenities and job opportunities tend to have a higher cost of living due to increased demand for services and relocation, resulting in higher home prices and higher rents. Less densely populated rural areas, or areas with less demand tend to have fewer amenities and slower job growth, which results in a lower cost of living.

Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can undergo substantial fluctuations based on the city or state of residence. Elements such as the availability of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket costs for medical consultations, dental expenses, prescription medication charges and specialized medical care fees all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Buena Park, healthcare costs are 1.2% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Buena Park 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.

New Real Estate Listings in Buena Park Area
Search Homes for Sale in Buena Park, CA

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Buena Park is 17% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Buena Park is 63% higher than the national average
  • Buena Park housing is 185% 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 Buena Park

See all the best places to live around Buena Park

Compare Buena Park, CA Cost of Living

      vs
      How would you rate the cost of living in Buena Park?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      Is the cost of living increasing or decreasing in Buena Park?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      See all Buena Park poll results

      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$109,733$9,144$2,560$3,292
      Renters$59,555$4,963$1,390$1,787
      A good indicator of the general affordability of housing in Buena Park, CA, is the percentage of monthly income that should be spent on housing expenses, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). Generally speaking, no more than 28 percent of your total gross income should be spent on your housing expenses and not more than 36 percent of your gross income on total expenses, including debts. In Buena Park, the median monthly income is $109,733 for those who own their own homes. Under the standard rule, that income level would allow for $2,560 to be budgeted for housing expenses each month, at the most. Renters, on the other hand, earn about $59,555, per the median income in the area. That would allow for renters to spend up to $1,390 on monthly rental expenses.

      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 Buena Park National avg. Difference
      Haircut $27.27$24.2612.4%
      Beauty Salon $41.78$45.568.3%
      Toothpaste $3.61$3.702.6%
      Shampoo $1.34$1.284.9%
      Movie $11.04$12.139.0%
      Bowling $21.11$18.0017.3%

      Groceries

      Item Buena Park National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.89$5.840.8%
      Fried Chicken $3.49$1.57121.9%
      Milk $4.92$4.675.4%
      Potatoes $4.92$4.930.3%
      Pizza $15.31$12.0926.6%
      Beer $10.26$10.411.4%

      Health Care

      Item Buena Park National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $112.92$125.6810.2%
      Doctor $95.50$135.7829.7%
      Dentist $117.28$113.293.5%
      Ibuprofen $10.58$10.650.7%
      Lipitor $521.17$468.6011.2%

      Housing

      Item Buena Park National avg. Difference
      Home Price $608,800.00$184,700.00229.6%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,441.43$2,346.694.0%
      Apartment Rent $1,723.00$949.0081.6%

      Transportation

      Item Buena Park National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.75$3.4637.3%
      Tire Balancing $61.38$59.922.4%

      Utilities

      Item Buena Park National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $378.97$193.9995.4%
      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.
      Vernon, CA24811717.0%
      Willowbrook, CA24,40113333.3%
      Compton, CA95,80413636.2%
      Florence-Graham, CA64,78713736.5%
      Industry, CA26413333.1%
      Buena Park, CA82,22816363.0%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Longview, TX82,183946.1%
      Melbourne, FL82,2811000.2%
      Caledon, ON82,130n/a 
      Medford, OR82,09811413.9%
      Prince George, BC82,094n/a 
      Buena Park, CA82,22816363.0%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.