| Index | Pacific Grove | California | National |
| Cost of living | 199 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 110 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 114 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 400 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 114 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 115 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 119 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 108 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 118 | 127 | 100 |
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 199, which is 99% 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 are a major factor in the Pacific Grove cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 299.5% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as 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 10.2% higher than the national average.
The most insightful perspective on a city comes from its residents. We recently surveyed 7 locals to gauge their perception of the cost of living in Pacific Grove. The feedback revealed that 0% of respondents found the cost of living to be reasonable, with prices on the decline, while 100% regarded it as notably expensive with prices that continue to rise.
Is Pacific Grove 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 Pacific Grove, the median home price is 384.7% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 100.9% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with Pacific Grove boasting a median household income of $134,416, 65.3% higher than the national average.
Taxes: Cities that enforce higher taxes, covering both sales taxes and income taxes, can be a factor contributing to a higher cost of living. Paying more in taxes for everyday essentials like clothing and food inevitably leads to higher expenses. A higher income tax rate can further contribute to an overall elevated cost of living. In Pacific Grove, the baseline sales tax rate begins at 7.25%, and income tax rates start at 1%.
Groceries: Grocery expenditures have undergone notable escalation over the last 2-3 years. In some markets, the cost of food products has surged by more than 20%, while others have experienced only modest increments. These fluctuations in food costs can have a significant impact on the overall cost of living in any region. In Pacific Grove, the groceries index registers 10.2% higher than the national average.
Subsidies: Certain regions may provide government subsidies or assistance initiatives designed to alleviate the cost of living burden on their residents. These programs encompass a wide range of support mechanisms, such as 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 farming subsidies. Areas with fewer subsidy offerings might experience an elevation in their cost of living.
The Pacific Grove 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 | $172,145 | $14,345 | $4,016 | $5,165 |
| Renters | $113,742 | $9,479 | $2,654 | $3,413 |
| 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. |
| Moss Landing, CA | 33 | 117 | 16.7% |
| Boronda, CA | 1,790 | 134 | 34.1% |
| Sand City, CA | 333 | 134 | 33.7% |
| Elkhorn, CA | 1,020 | 156 | 56.2% |
| Castroville, CA | 6,501 | 159 | 59.0% |
| Pacific Grove, CA | 15,959 | 199 | 99.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Glasgow, DE | 15,967 | 115 | 15.4% |
| Riverdale, GA | 15,944 | 92 | 8.4% |
| Coto de Caza, CA | 15,939 | 243 | 143.2% |
| Niceville, FL | 15,939 | 113 | 13.4% |
| Hueytown, AL | 15,979 | 89 | 10.6% |
| Pacific Grove, CA | 15,959 | 199 | 99.3% |
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