| Index | Huntington Beach | California | National |
| Cost of living | 195 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 112 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 117 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 374 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 119 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 123 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 124 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 109 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 134 | 127 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Huntington Beach? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Huntington Beach stands at 195, making it 95% 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 prioritize affordability when seeking a new place to live, Huntington Beach may not be your ideal choice, as it ranks among the most expensive locations in the entire United States. A very small amount of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Huntington Beach falls into this category, which may not align with your preferences for a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Huntington Beach, 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 273.5% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Groceries are getting more expensive by the day and the cost of groceries makes up 13% of the overall cost of living index. In the past two years, prices have shot up by over 10%! Unfortunately, in Huntington Beach, it's the same story – grocery costs are 11.8% higher than what people pay across the country.
When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 7 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Huntington Beach. The results indicated that 29% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 71% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.
Is Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach, for instance, where the median home price falls 347.1% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 101.9% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Huntington Beach flaunting a median household income of $143,032, 75.9% higher than the national norm.
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 Huntington Beach, the transportation index is 18.9% higher than the national average.
Utilities: Similar to the prices of any goods or services, utility expenses can fluctuate widely, contingent on variables such as climate, available energy sources, geographical location and state regulations. Costs associated with electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can differ in magnitude, depending on the specific city or state. In Huntington Beach, the utilities index registers at 22.6% higher than the national average.
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 Huntington Beach, the groceries index is 11.8% higher than the national average.
The Huntington Beach 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 | $177,181 | $14,765 | $4,134 | $5,316 |
| Renters | $113,787 | $9,482 | $2,655 | $3,414 |
| 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. |
| Hawaiian Gardens, CA | 14,656 | 142 | 42.3% |
| Stanton, CA | 39,110 | 146 | 46.2% |
| Seal Beach, CA | 25,208 | 149 | 49.1% |
| Carson, CA | 94,352 | 154 | 53.9% |
| Signal Hill, CA | 11,866 | 159 | 58.9% |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 204,313 | 195 | 95.1% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Montgomery, AL | 204,291 | 89 | 10.9% |
| Augusta, GA | 204,183 | 92 | 8.1% |
| Grand Rapids, MI | 204,117 | 96 | 4.0% |
| Glendale, CA | 204,037 | 193 | 93.1% |
| Yonkers, NY | 204,945 | 142 | 41.6% |
| Huntington Beach, CA | 204,313 | 195 | 95.1% |
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