F
77%
Overall NAT. AVG.
8%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
225%
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 Mountain House California National
Cost of living177140100
Goods & Services108111100
Groceries107112100
Health care102109100
Housing325196100
Transportation122126100
Utilities142127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Mountain House, CA

Knowing the cost of living in Mountain House allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Mountain House stands at 177, marking it 77% higher than the national average.

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 Mountain House 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, Mountain House falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Mountain House, 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 224.9% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Is Mountain House Affordable?

Is Mountain House affordable? This is a pivotal question, especially when mulling over a move, as affordability carries substantial weight in your decision-making process. Factors such as the cost of living index (discussed earlier), housing expenses and income levels all contribute to a location's affordability. For instance, in Mountain House, the median home price is 240.9% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 187.8% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Mountain House boasting a median household income of $161,086, 191.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Mountain House?

Groceries: Grocery prices have seen substantial hikes in the last 2-3 years, with some markets witnessing food cost increases of over 20% during this period. Conversely, certain markets have experienced only moderate upticks. These variations in food expenses can have a substantial impact on the overall cost of living in any locality. In Mountain House, the groceries index is 6.8% higher than the national average.

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 goods and services, it naturally translates into higher expenses. Similarly, a higher income tax rate can also contribute to an overall higher cost of living. In Mountain House, the standard sales tax rate starts at 7.25%, and the income tax rates commence at 1%.

Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In Mountain House, the transportation index is 21.7% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Mountain House 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.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Mountain House is 27% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Mountain House is 77% higher than the national average
  • Mountain House housing is 225% higher than the national average
  • California general sales tax is 42% higher than the national average
  • California state income tax is 56% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Mountain House

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Compare Mountain House, 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$173,879$14,490$4,057$5,217
      Renters$121,914$10,160$2,844$3,658
      A good way to judge both the affordability of the housing and the cost of living in Mountain House 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. Mountain House has a median income of about $173,879 for people who own homes. Based on that number, a maximum of $4,057 should be spent on expenses related to housing. Renters have a slightly different median income, which is $121,914. Based on this average, renters should spend no more than $2,844 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% 12.3%

      Goods & Services

      Item Mountain House National avg. Difference
      Haircut $23.42$24.263.5%
      Beauty Salon $49.62$45.568.9%
      Toothpaste $3.64$3.701.6%
      Shampoo $1.50$1.2817.0%
      Movie $13.61$12.1312.2%
      Bowling $22.34$18.0024.1%

      Groceries

      Item Mountain House National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.24$5.846.9%
      Fried Chicken $2.10$1.5733.8%
      Milk $4.83$4.673.5%
      Potatoes $4.43$4.9310.3%
      Pizza $16.78$12.0938.8%
      Beer $10.08$10.413.2%

      Health Care

      Item Mountain House National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $138.22$125.6810.0%
      Doctor $134.39$135.781.0%
      Dentist $117.52$113.293.7%
      Ibuprofen $10.68$10.650.3%
      Lipitor $494.99$468.605.6%

      Housing

      Item Mountain House National avg. Difference
      Home Price $629,600.00$184,700.00240.9%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $3,173.44$2,346.6935.2%
      Apartment Rent $2,731.00$949.00187.8%

      Transportation

      Item Mountain House National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.21$3.4621.5%
      Tire Balancing $73.10$59.9222.0%

      Utilities

      Item Mountain House National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $327.22$193.9968.7%
      Phone $189.16$192.251.6%
      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.
      Taft Mosswood, CA1,06011414.2%
      Country Club, CA9,24212020.2%
      Stockton, CA311,10312525.1%
      French Camp, CA3,64112928.5%
      Lathrop, CA23,86314040.4%
      Mountain House, CA21,38717777.4%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Cranbrook, BC21,392n/a 
      Saint-Lazare, QC21,394n/a 
      Thorold, ON21,396n/a 
      Bear, DE21,39711211.9%
      Ensley, FL21,397918.7%
      Mountain House, CA21,38717777.4%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.