| Index | Murrieta | California | National |
| Cost of living | 150 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 110 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 120 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 230 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 116 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 121 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 117 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 111 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 128 | 127 | 100 |
Are you thinking about relocating, but curious about the potential cost of living in Murrieta? Is it more expensive or more affordable than average? Based on the most recent report, the cost of living in Murrieta stands at 150, making it 50% 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, Murrieta 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, Murrieta falls into this category, which may not align with your preferences for a budget-friendly living environment.
When it comes to the cost of living in Murrieta, 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 129.8% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
The routine items you regularly buy for your home, such as cleaning supplies, personal care products, clothing basics, and kitchen essentials, make up 8% of the cost of living index. In Murrieta, these items cost 10.9% more than the national average, making day-to-day living a bit more expensive.
When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 22 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Murrieta. The results indicated that 36% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 64% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.
Is Murrieta an affordable place to live? It's a good question and one that you might want to ask when considering any new city, as affordability can play a huge role in the decision making process. The cost of living index (which we covered above), as well as housing costs and income levels play a vital role in determining the affordability of an area. The median home price in Murrieta is 145.3% higher than the national average, while the average monthly rent prices are 93.5% higher than average. The affordability of any location can also be influenced by median income levels. Murrieta has a median household income of $136,800, which is 68.2% higher than the national average.
Urbanization: Urban areas with a wealth of amenities and employment opportunities tend to come with a higher price tag for living. Why? Well, more people want to be there, which drives up home prices and rents. On the flip side, less densely populated rural areas or places where there's not as much demand usually mean fewer attractions, things to do and slower job growth. That often results in a lower cost of living.
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 Murrieta, the groceries index is 9.5% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Certain cities or states may institute government subsidies or assistance programs designed to alleviate the financial burdens associated with the cost of living for their residents. These programs encompass a variety of support mechanisms, 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. Areas that provide fewer subsidies may see an uptick in their overall cost of living.
The Murrieta 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 | $162,978 | $13,582 | $3,803 | $4,890 |
| Renters | $97,866 | $8,156 | $2,283 | $2,936 |
| 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. |
| Homeland, CA | 7,909 | 110 | 10.0% |
| Pala, CA | 1,129 | 113 | 12.6% |
| Hemet, CA | 87,279 | 118 | 17.7% |
| Good Hope, CA | 8,754 | 118 | 18.4% |
| Warm Springs, CA | 1,496 | 118 | 18.5% |
| Murrieta, CA | 117,330 | 150 | 50.5% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Costa Mesa, CA | 117,376 | 197 | 97.0% |
| Springfield, IL | 117,426 | 92 | 7.5% |
| North Charleston, SC | 117,218 | 102 | 1.9% |
| Carlsbad, CA | 117,067 | 202 | 102.1% |
| Clovis, CA | 117,046 | 132 | 32.3% |
| Murrieta, CA | 117,330 | 150 | 50.5% |
Here are the best places to live in California
Safest Cities In The US
Most Dangerous States In The US
Most Dangerous Cities In The US