| Index | Glendale | California | National |
| Cost of living | 193 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 109 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 116 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 370 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 116 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 119 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 128 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 112 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 129 | 127 | 100 |
The cost of living in Glendale 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 Glendale is 193, which is 93% 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 Glendale 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, Glendale falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.
When it comes to the cost of living in Glendale, housing costs are a real heavyweight, often hogging a significant chunk of your earnings. Sadly, in this area, housing expenses for both buying and renting were 270.2% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
Household expenses make up 8% of the total cost of living index score and cover the everyday essentials needed to keep your home running smoothly. These items may include cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, toiletries, clothing basics, and kitchen essentials. In Glendale, you can expect to pay 11.5% more than average for these everyday necessities, making it a more expensive place to live.
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 23 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Glendale. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 48% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 52% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Glendale 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 Glendale, for instance, where the median home price falls 352.9% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 77.3% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Glendale flaunting a median household income of $105,660, 29.9% higher than the national norm.
Transportation: In situations where public transportation is limited or nonexistent, local residents may be required to own and maintain their own vehicles, contributing to an elevated cost of living. Monthly expenditures may encompass fuel costs, insurance premiums, routine vehicle upkeep and possibly lease or financing payments. In Glendale, the transportation index is 16% higher than the national average.
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.
Utilities: Like everything else, utilities costs can range significantly depending on factors like climate, energy sources available, location and even state regulations. Things like electricity, water, heating and waste disposal costs can be higher or lower, depending on the city or state. The utilities index in Glendale comes in at 18.8% higher than the national average.
The Glendale 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 | $181,248 | $15,104 | $4,229 | $5,438 |
| Renters | $76,338 | $6,362 | $1,781 | $2,290 |
| 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. |
| Westside, CA | 218 | 124 | 23.9% |
| Vernon, CA | 254 | 117 | 16.8% |
| Florence-Graham, CA | 66,603 | 138 | 38.2% |
| Commerce, CA | 13,066 | 139 | 38.8% |
| Bell Gardens, CA | 42,827 | 139 | 39.0% |
| Glendale, CA | 204,037 | 193 | 93.1% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 204,117 | 96 | 4.0% |
| Augusta, GA | 204,183 | 92 | 8.1% |
| Montgomery, AL | 204,291 | 89 | 10.9% |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 204,313 | 195 | 95.1% |
| Yonkers, NY | 204,945 | 142 | 41.6% |
| Glendale, CA | 204,037 | 193 | 93.1% |
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