| Index | San Marino | California | National |
| Cost of living | 337 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 108 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 116 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 861 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 112 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 114 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 113 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 112 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 119 | 127 | 100 |
Understanding the cost of living in San Marino can help future residents assess whether their current financial situation aligns with the expenses they will encounter. It enables them to plan for potential changes in their budget and lifestyle. The San Marino cost of living index is 337, which is 237% higher than the national average. The cost of living index is calculated by taking into account multiple categories, which encompass both the cost of everyday expenditures and larger expenses as well.
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 San Marino 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, San Marino 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 San Marino, 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 761% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.
Household expenses account for 8% of the cost of living index and include the products people rely on every week, from toiletries and detergent to clothing and kitchen essentials. In San Marino, household essentials are 11.7% more expensive than the U.S. average, which can leave less room in your monthly budget.
Is San Marino 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 San Marino, the median home price is 975.6% higher than the national average and monthly rent prices are 260.3% higher than the typical rates. Additionally, the median income levels play a role in affordability, with San Marino boasting a median household income of $240,683, 195.9% 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 San Marino, healthcare costs are 15.6% 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 San Marino, the groceries index is 7.6% higher than the national average.
Transportation: In areas where public transportation is scarce or unavailable, residents often find themselves compelled to own and upkeep vehicles, thereby increasing the overall cost of living. Monthly expenses encompass fuel, insurance, routine maintenance and potentially lease or financing payments. In San Marino, the transportation index is 12% higher than the national average.
The San Marino 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 | $249,579 | $20,798 | $5,823 | $7,488 |
| Renters | $225,764 | $18,814 | $5,267 | $6,774 |
| 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% |
| Willowbrook, CA | 25,347 | 136 | 36.0% |
| Florence-Graham, CA | 66,603 | 138 | 38.2% |
| Industry, CA | 269 | 137 | 37.1% |
| Commerce, CA | 13,066 | 139 | 38.8% |
| San Marino, CA | 13,535 | 337 | 237.2% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Monfort Heights, OH | 13,537 | 94 | 5.7% |
| Glenn Heights, TX | 13,529 | 100 | 0.4% |
| Avenal, CA | 13,541 | 106 | 6.2% |
| Coatesville, PA | 13,546 | 96 | 3.6% |
| Central Elgin, ON | 13,549 | n/a | |
| San Marino, CA | 13,535 | 337 | 237.2% |
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