F
69%
Overall NAT. AVG.
14%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
183%
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 Emeryville California National
Cost of living169140100
Goods & Services114111100
Groceries117112100
Health care121109100
Housing283196100
Transportation129126100
Utilities134127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Emeryville, CA

Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Emeryville? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Emeryville stands at 169, making it 69% 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 value affordability in your search for a new place to live, Emeryville may not be the most suitable option, as it stands out as one of the priciest areas in the entire United States. Only a small fraction of regions have a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and regrettably, Emeryville falls into this category, which may not align with your desire for an affordable place to call home.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Emeryville, 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 182.9% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, 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 Emeryville, these items will cost you 14.1% more than what's considered the norm, making it a more expensive place to call home.

The cost of groceries continues to rise at an alarming rate. Over the last two years, grocery prices have increased by more than 10%! Unfortunately, in Emeryville, the news isn't any better as grocery prices are 17.2% higher than the national average.

Is Emeryville Affordable?

Is Emeryville 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 Emeryville, for instance, where the median home price falls 191.4% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 163.1% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Emeryville flaunting a median household income of $104,063, 88.1% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Emeryville?

Utilities: As with the prices of anything else, utility costs can exhibit significant variations, contingent on factors like climate, energy source availability, geographic location and state regulations. The expenses associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, either upward or downward, depending on the particular city or state. In Emeryville, the utilities index registers 33.7% higher than the national average.

Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Emeryville, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 7.25%, and income tax rates start at 1%.

Urbanization: Larger, urban centers, known for their wealth of amenities and strong employment prospects, often exhibit an elevated cost of living, primarily attributable to the heightened demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this scenario leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural areas or regions characterized by diminished demand typically provide a more limited array of amenities and experience slower job market growth, resulting in a more affordable cost of living.

Where is the Data From?

The Emeryville 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. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates 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 Emeryville is 21% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Emeryville is 69% higher than the national average
  • Emeryville housing is 183% 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 Emeryville

See all the best places to live around Emeryville

Compare Emeryville, 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$124,779$10,398$2,911$3,744
      Renters$97,763$8,147$2,281$2,933
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Emeryville is by simply calculating the maximum that should be spent on housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The plan is to avoid spending more than 28 percent of the gross income on costs that pertain to housing and no more than 36 percent on all expenses and debts. Emeryville has a median income of about $124,779 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $2,911 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $97,763. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $2,281 on all rental costs if they want to maintain a non-impoverished standard of living.

      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 Emeryville National avg. Difference
      Haircut $25.00$24.263.0%
      Beauty Salon $76.00$45.5666.8%
      Toothpaste $3.64$3.701.7%
      Shampoo $1.45$1.2813.5%
      Movie $16.46$12.1335.7%
      Bowling $27.22$18.0051.2%

      Groceries

      Item Emeryville National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.70$5.842.3%
      Fried Chicken $3.43$1.57118.2%
      Milk $4.91$4.675.1%
      Potatoes $4.87$4.931.3%
      Pizza $13.49$12.0911.6%
      Beer $11.18$10.417.4%

      Health Care

      Item Emeryville National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $137.40$125.689.3%
      Doctor $110.00$135.7819.0%
      Dentist $118.27$113.294.4%
      Ibuprofen $11.76$10.6510.4%
      Lipitor $508.17$468.608.4%

      Housing

      Item Emeryville National avg. Difference
      Home Price $538,300.00$184,700.00191.4%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $6,553.90$2,346.69179.3%
      Apartment Rent $2,497.00$949.00163.1%

      Transportation

      Item Emeryville National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.60$3.4633.0%
      Tire Balancing $60.97$59.921.7%

      Utilities

      Item Emeryville National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $182.51$193.995.9%
      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.
      Port Costa, CA24212020.0%
      Strawberry CDP (Tuolumne County), CA11612524.6%
      Pacheco, CA4,77511615.7%
      San Miguel CDP (San Luis Obispo County), CA2,69612928.9%
      El Cerrito CDP, CA5,69914039.6%
      Emeryville, CA11,67916968.9%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Martensville, SK11,678n/a 
      Shiloh, OH11,6818811.8%
      Oak Hills, OR11,68214343.5%
      Dent, OH11,6751077.0%
      North Dumfries, ON11,684n/a 
      Emeryville, CA11,67916968.9%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.