| Index | Downtown | San Mateo | California |
| Cost of living | 183 | 253 | 143 |
| Goods & Services | 120 | 120 | 115 |
| Groceries | 116 | 116 | 108 |
| Health care | 124 | 124 | 103 |
| Housing | 314 | 546 | 197 |
| Transportation | 141 | 141 | 136 |
| Utilities | 149 | 149 | 144 |


Why stop at city-to-city? With Local Insights, you can compare neighborhoods, zip codes, or even exact addresses. Access 300+ hyperlocal data points—from schools and crime to housing and amenities—to see which area is the better fit.
| Cost of living index | |
| Goods & Services index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Household | $125,989 | $10,499 | $2,940 | $3,780 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| California | 7.25% | 10.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| California | 1% | 13.3% |
| Item | San Mateo | National avg. | Difference |
| Haircut | $30.77 | $27.62 | 11.4% |
| Beauty Salon | $87.96 | $51.11 | 72.1% |
| Toothpaste | $4.58 | $4.09 | 11.9% |
| Shampoo | $2.18 | $1.54 | 41.4% |
| Movie | $16.62 | $12.88 | 29.0% |
| Yoga | $24.36 | $19.66 | 23.9% |
| Item | San Mateo | National avg. | Difference |
| Ground Beef | $8.05 | $7.70 | 4.5% |
| Fried Chicken | $2.65 | $1.66 | 59.4% |
| Milk | $5.20 | $4.73 | 9.9% |
| Potatoes | $4.75 | $5.26 | 9.6% |
| Pizza | $18.42 | $12.76 | 44.3% |
| Beer | $11.54 | $10.55 | 9.4% |
| Item | San Mateo | National avg. | Difference |
| Optometrist | $173.17 | $140.06 | 23.6% |
| Doctor | $184.23 | $153.82 | 19.8% |
| Dentist | $167.93 | $123.15 | 36.4% |
| Ibuprofen | $12.53 | $11.73 | 6.8% |
| Lipitor | $25.58 | $23.61 | 8.3% |
| Item | San Mateo | National avg. | Difference |
| Home Price | $2,159,460.00 | $326,622.00 | 561.1% |
| Avg. Mortgage Payment | $6,534.50 | $2,480.25 | 163.5% |
| Apartment Rent | $4,025.00 | $1,444.00 | 178.7% |
| Item | San Mateo | National avg. | Difference |
| Gasoline | $4.58 | $3.06 | 49.8% |
| Tire Balancing | $78.78 | $65.21 | 20.8% |
| Item | San Mateo | National avg. | Difference |
| All Electricity | $388.04 | $220.12 | 76.3% |
| Phone | $206.74 | $195.71 | 5.6% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Mountain View CDP, CA | 2,675 | 135 | 35.4% |
| Cherryland, CA | 16,430 | 162 | 62.4% |
| Ashland, CA | 24,254 | 168 | 68.2% |
| Hayward, CA | 163,491 | 175 | 74.7% |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 31,094 | 176 | 75.6% |
| San Mateo, CA | 106,097 | 253 | 152.7% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Las Cruces, NM | 106,024 | 92 | 8.2% |
| Strathcona County, AB | 106,316 | n/a | |
| Rialto, CA | 106,524 | 132 | 32.4% |
| Burbank, CA | 106,568 | 190 | 89.8% |
| El Cajon, CA | 105,484 | 154 | 53.8% |
| San Mateo, CA | 106,097 | 253 | 152.7% |