F
57%
Overall NAT. AVG.
1%
Goods & Services NAT. AVG.
188%
Housing NAT. AVG.
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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 Truckee California National
Cost of living157140100
Goods & Services99111100
Groceries101112100
Health care95109100
Housing288196100
Transportation122126100
Utilities92127100

An Overview of Cost of Living in Truckee, CA

The cost of living in Truckee 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 Truckee is 157, which is 57% 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 Truckee 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, Truckee 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 Truckee, 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 187.7% more than the average city. This includes stuff like home prices, rent, mortgage rates, and insurance.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Truckee?

The most insightful perspective on a city comes from its residents. We recently surveyed 6 locals to gauge their perception of the cost of living in Truckee. The feedback revealed that 33% of respondents found the cost of living to be reasonable, with prices on the decline, while 67% regarded it as notably expensive with prices that continue to rise.

Is Truckee Affordable?

Is Truckee affordable? It's a key consideration when pondering a move, as affordability often shapes your choices. The cost of living index (we discussed it earlier), coupled with housing costs and income levels, serves as the cornerstone for determining a location's affordability. Take Truckee, for instance, where the median home price falls 227% higher than the national average, and monthly rent rates are 96.1% higher than usual. Additionally, median income levels contribute to the equation, with Truckee flaunting a median household income of $98,587, 78.2% higher than the national norm.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Truckee?

Urbanization: Larger, urban areas boasting abundant amenities and robust employment prospects often exhibit a heightened cost of living, driven by the increased demand for services and residential relocation. Consequently, this leads to elevated home prices and higher rental rates. In contrast, sparsely populated rural locales or regions marked by diminished demand typically offer a more limited range of amenities and experience slower job market expansion. This translates into a more affordable cost of living.

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 Truckee, the groceries index registers 0.8% higher than the national average.

Housing: When there's a high demand for housing in trendy places, it can cause property prices and rental rates to soar, leading to a significantly higher cost of living. Conversely, in less desirable locations, where demand is low, prices tend to decrease, resulting in a more budget-friendly cost of living. In Truckee, the housing index is 187.7% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Truckee cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.

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Cost Of Living Quick Facts

  • The cost of living in Truckee is 13% higher than the California average
  • The cost of living in Truckee is 57% higher than the national average
  • Truckee housing is 188% higher than the national average
  • California general sales tax is 42% higher than the national average
  • California state income tax is 61% lower than the national average

Most Affordable Places to Live in and Around Truckee

See all the best places to live around Truckee

Compare Truckee, CA Cost of Living

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      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$114,272$9,523$2,666$3,429
      Renters$62,647$5,221$1,462$1,880
      To approximate the cost of living and the housing affordability in Truckee, CA, we can look at the percentage of income that is available to be spent on monthly housing, otherwise known as the debt-to-income ratio (DTI). To stay on the safe side, a consumer should not spend more than 28% of his or her gross income on housing-related expenses and costs and not more than 36% of income on all expenses and debts. Homeowners in Truckee have a median income of $114,272. Therefore, the amount that a consumer should spend on housing costs should be no more than $2,666 per month to avoid calamity and poverty. The renters in the city have an income of about $62,647, which would make their monthly maximum allowable rental costs $1,462.

      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% 13.3%

      Goods & Services

      Item Truckee National avg. Difference
      Haircut $25.78$24.266.2%
      Beauty Salon $42.67$45.566.4%
      Toothpaste $3.72$3.700.4%
      Shampoo $1.37$1.286.7%
      Movie $11.00$12.139.3%
      Bowling $21.95$18.0021.9%

      Groceries

      Item Truckee National avg. Difference
      Ground Beef $5.87$5.840.5%
      Fried Chicken $1.87$1.5718.7%
      Milk $4.60$4.671.6%
      Potatoes $4.57$4.937.4%
      Pizza $12.67$12.094.9%
      Beer $9.41$10.419.6%

      Health Care

      Item Truckee National avg. Difference
      Optometrist $115.11$125.688.4%
      Doctor $129.11$135.784.9%
      Dentist $118.11$113.294.3%
      Ibuprofen $10.85$10.651.8%
      Lipitor $349.59$468.6025.4%

      Housing

      Item Truckee National avg. Difference
      Home Price $603,900.00$184,700.00227.0%
      Avg. Mortgage Payment $2,701.18$2,346.6915.1%
      Apartment Rent $1,861.00$949.0096.1%

      Transportation

      Item Truckee National avg. Difference
      Gasoline $4.40$3.4627.1%
      Tire Balancing $66.55$59.9211.1%

      Utilities

      Item Truckee National avg. Difference
      All Electricity $171.07$193.9911.8%
      Phone $185.80$192.253.4%
      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.
      Kingvale, CA1021021.5%
      Soda Springs, CA461021.5%
      Floriston, CA281021.5%
      Kings Beach, CA2,82613939.4%
      Mogul, NV1,30814544.5%
      Truckee, CA16,66615757.4%

      Cities with similar population

      City Population Cost of Living Index National Avg.
      Sikeston, MO16,6648613.8%
      Mount Vernon, OH16,6848712.7%
      Tahlequah, OK16,6848613.6%
      North Myrtle Beach, SC16,68411211.6%
      Madison, NJ16,64717272.4%
      Truckee, CA16,66615757.4%
      Date & Last Updated: This data reflects 2023 and was released from C2ER in January, 2024; this is the most current data available.