An Overview of Cost of Living in Pacific Grove, CA
The cost of living in Pacific Grove 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 Pacific Grove is 202, which is 102% 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 Pacific Grove 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, Pacific Grove 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 Pacific Grove, 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 301.7% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
The surge in grocery costs is indeed alarming, especially when groceries make up a large portion of your monthly expenditures. Over the past two years, there has been an inflation of over 10% in grocery prices. Unfortunately, Pacific Grove does not fare better, with grocery expenses coming in at 14.5% higher than the national average.
What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Pacific Grove?
The real experts on a city are its residents. That's why we reached out to 7 locals to get their views on the cost of living in Pacific Grove. We surveyed the residents and asked them if they felt like prices were affordable or out of reach. The results were as follows. 0% found it budget-friendly with decreasing prices, while 100% said it's simply not affordable as prices have continued to rise.
Is Pacific Grove Affordable?
Wondering if Pacific Grove is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Pacific Grove, for example, the median home price is 385.7% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 105.7% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Pacific Grove boasting a median household income of $89,088, which is 61% higher than the national average.
What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Pacific Grove?
Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Pacific Grove, the groceries index is 14.5% 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 Pacific Grove, the standard sales tax rate starts at 7.25%, and the income tax rates commence at 1%.
Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can fluctuate greatly based on the city or state. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor\’s visits, dentist costs, medication costs and specialized care costs can all impact the cost of living. In Pacific Grove, the healthcare costs are 22.6% higher than the national average.
Where is the Data From?
The cost of living in Pacific Grove, presented above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index, offering a practical method for assessing living cost disparities in urban areas. Published quarterly, this index compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services in 6 categories. The weightings assigned to cost variances are informed by government survey data tracking the expenditure patterns of professional and executive households. It should be noted that the C2ER index does not include data on sales or income tax rates, however, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each area.
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