F
31%
Overall NAT. AVG.
4%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
80%
Housing NAT. AVG.
Search Homes for Sale
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 Salida California National
Cost of living131140100
Goods & Services104111100
Groceries104112100
Health care96109100
Housing180196100
Transportation120126100
Utilities140127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Salida, CA

The cost of living in Salida 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 Salida is 131, which is 31% 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 prioritize affordability when seeking a new place to live, Salida 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, Salida falls into this category, which may not align with your preferences for a budget-friendly living environment.

Housing costs make up a big chunk of the cost of living in Salida, 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 79.9% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

Is Salida Affordable?

Is Salida 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 Salida, the median home price is 79.2% higher than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 81.3% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Salida come in at $82,563, which is 49.2% higher than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Salida?

Taxes: Areas with higher taxes, including sales taxes and income taxes, can contribute to a higher cost of living. Paying more tax for everyday goods and services like clothing and food will result in higher costs, as will paying a higher rate of income tax. The general sales tax rate in Salida starts at 7.25% and the income tax rates start at 1%.

Housing: When everyone's vying for homes in popular areas, it drives up property prices and rents, making the overall cost of living surge. On the flip side, in less sought-after locales, where housing demand is low, prices tend to dip, resulting in a more economical cost of living. In Salida, the housing index comes in at 79.9% higher than the national average.

Healthcare: Healthcare costs and insurance premiums can undergo substantial fluctuations based on the city or state of residence. Elements such as the availability of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket costs for medical consultations, dental expenses, prescription medication charges and specialized medical care fees all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Salida, healthcare costs are 4.1% lower than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Salida cost of living data you see above is sourced from the C2ER cost of living index, providing a practical and accurate means of comparing living expenses in urban areas. Updated quarterly, this index gathers data from over 300 independent researchers, covering more than 60 goods and services, in 6 different categories. These selections are made meticulously to represent a wide range of consumer expenditure categories. The weightings applied to cost differences are based on government survey data that tracks spending patterns among professional and executive households. It's important to note that while the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes factors tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

New Real Estate Listings in Salida Area
Search Homes for Sale in Salida, CA

Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Salida is 6% lower than the California average
  • The cost of living in Salida is 31% higher than the national average
  • Salida housing is 80% 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 Salida

See all the best places to live around Salida

Compare Salida, CA Cost of Living

      vs
      How would you rate the cost of living in Salida?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      Is the cost of living increasing or decreasing in Salida?
      Write a review to give others more information about this area.
      See all Salida poll results

      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$84,082$7,007$1,962$2,523
      Renters$79,003$6,584$1,843$2,370
      The affordability of the housing market in Salida, CA as well as the overall cost of living can be predicted by what percent of the monthly income is spent on housing related costs. This is konwn as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). The overall rule of thumb is that no more than 28% of your gross income should be spent on the overall costs related to housing and no more than 36% of gross income on all expenses and debts. Among Salida homeowners, the median income is $84,082. This indicates that a monthly maximum of $1,962 should be spent by homeowners on all housing related costs. Renters have a median income of $79,003. This indicates that renters would have a maximum of $1,843 for their rent related monthly costs.

      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 Salida National avg. Difference
      Haircut $26.83$24.2610.6%
      Beauty Salon $76.57$45.5668.0%
      Toothpaste $3.86$3.704.3%
      Shampoo $1.56$1.2821.9%
      Movie $14.64$12.1320.6%
      Bowling $23.78$18.0032.1%

      Groceries

      Item Salida National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $6.21$5.846.3%
      Fried Chicken $2.10$1.5733.7%
      Milk $4.99$4.676.9%
      Potatoes $4.98$4.930.9%
      Pizza $15.69$12.0929.8%
      Beer $10.96$10.415.3%

      Health Care

      Item Salida National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $157.88$125.6825.6%
      Doctor $166.71$135.7822.8%
      Dentist $148.27$113.2930.9%
      Ibuprofen $11.69$10.659.8%
      Lipitor $498.45$468.606.4%

      Housing

      Item Salida National avg. Difference
      Home Price $331,000.00$184,700.0079.2%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $4,545.90$2,346.6993.7%
      Apartment Rent $1,721.00$949.0081.3%

      Transportation

      Item Salida National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.63$3.4633.9%
      Tire Balancing $70.51$59.9217.7%

      Utilities

      Item Salida National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $299.78$193.9954.5%
      Phone $191.56$192.250.4%
      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.
      Cowan, CA47211110.7%
      Farmington, CA16911414.2%
      Monterey Park Tract, CA29311110.7%
      Parklawn, CA1,8441043.6%
      Westley, CA6891044.4%
      Salida, CA15,26913131.4%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Bemidji, MN15,277918.7%
      Bay Village, OH15,2581077.4%
      Mercier, QC15,257n/a 
      East Rancho Dominguez, CA15,25213736.7%
      Ladson, SC15,2521011.2%
      Salida, CA15,26913131.4%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.