| Index | Pasadena | California | National |
| Cost of living | 197 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 112 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 120 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 378 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 118 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 123 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 123 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 115 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 135 | 127 | 100 |
The cost of living in Pasadena 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 Pasadena is 197, which is 97% 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 you're in pursuit of an economical living environment, Pasadena may not fit the bill, as it ranks among the most expensive places to reside in the United States. Just a minority of regions exhibit a cost of living that is more than 20% higher than the national average, and, unfortunately, Pasadena falls within this bracket.
When it comes to the cost of living in Pasadena, 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 277.6% more expensive compared to your average city. That means you'll be shelling out more for homes, rents, mortgage rates and insurance.
Everyday household expenses like cleaning products, laundry detergent, toiletries, and kitchen basics can quickly add up over time and make up 8% of the cost of living index. In Pasadena, you can expect to spend 14.5% more than average on these recurring essentials, which increases your overall monthly cost of living.
The relentless increase in grocery prices is a noteworthy trend. In the last two years, grocery costs have experienced an upward trajectory of over 10%. Unfortunately, Pasadena is no exception, where grocery prices are 11.5% above the national average.
The most insightful perspective on a city comes from its residents. We recently surveyed 10 locals to gauge their perception of the cost of living in Pasadena. The feedback revealed that 20% of respondents found the cost of living to be reasonable, with prices on the decline, while 80% regarded it as notably expensive with prices that continue to rise.
Is Pasadena an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Pasadena, the median home price is 360% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 85.4% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Pasadena come in at $125,896, which is 54.8% higher than the national average.
Utilities: Similar to the prices of any other goods or services, utility expenditures can exhibit substantial variability, influenced by factors such as climate, energy sources accessibility, geographical location and state regulations. Costs related to electricity, water, heating, and waste disposal can fluctuate, whether higher or lower, contingent on the city or state. In Pasadena, the utilities index is 23.3% higher than the national average.
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 Pasadena, the groceries index is 11.5% higher than the national average.
Housing: High demand for housing in desirable locations can drive up property prices and rental rates. This can be a primary contributor to a higher cost of living. While low demand for housing, especially in undesirable locations, can have the reverse effect and drive prices down, resulting in a lower cost of living. The housing index in Pasadena, is 277.6% higher than the national average.
The Pasadena 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.
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| 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 | $185,126 | $15,427 | $4,319 | $5,554 |
| Renters | $96,369 | $8,031 | $2,248 | $2,891 |
| 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. |
| Vernon, CA | 254 | 117 | 16.8% |
| Florence-Graham, CA | 66,603 | 138 | 38.2% |
| Industry, CA | 269 | 137 | 37.1% |
| Commerce, CA | 13,066 | 139 | 38.8% |
| Bell Gardens, CA | 42,827 | 139 | 39.0% |
| Pasadena, CA | 146,628 | 197 | 97.1% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| McAllen, TX | 146,651 | 93 | 7.2% |
| Fullerton, CA | 146,103 | 175 | 75.2% |
| Murfreesboro, TN | 146,103 | 109 | 9.1% |
| Syracuse, NY | 146,063 | 95 | 4.5% |
| Dayton, OH | 145,927 | 82 | 17.9% |
| Pasadena, CA | 146,628 | 197 | 97.1% |
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