Irvine, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Irvine, CA Summary

Cost of living in Irvine research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Irvine is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Irvine is 182, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Irvine is 1.8x higher than the national average.

  • Irvine ranks as the #539 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Irvine ranks as the #6,225 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Irvine is $900,700.

  • The median income in Irvine is $114,027.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
182
Irvine's Overall Cost Of Living
1.8x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Irvine, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Irvine has an overall cost of living index of 182, which is 1.8x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Irvine has a cost of living index that's 1.3x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Irvine ranks as #539 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Irvine ranks as the #96 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Irvine, check out:

539 out of 635
In California
6,225 out of 6,412
In America

Irvine Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Irvine. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Irvine is 111.

  • The Groceries index in Irvine is 112.

  • The Health index in Irvine is 103.

  • The Housing index in Irvine is 335.

  • The Transportation index in Irvine is 138.

  • The Utilities index in Irvine is 89.

Living Expense Irvine California National Average
Overall 182 139 100
Services 111 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 103 109 100
Housing 335 204 100
Transportation 138 126 100
Utilities 89 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Irvine Cost of Living Vs. CA

Irvine, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Irvine is $900,700.

  • The Median Rent in Irvine is $2,533.

  • The Median Income in Irvine is $114,027.

  • The Home Value To Income in Irvine is 7.9x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Irvine is 0.27x.

Statistic Irvine California United States
Median Home Value $900,700 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,533 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $114,027 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 7.9x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Irvine, CA
$900,700
Median Home Value
$2,533
Median Rent
$114,027
Median Income

Irvine, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Irvine Services Costs Vs. California

Item Irvine California
Shampoo $1.17 $1.06
Movie $14.48 $10.68
Bowling $24.56 $14.67
Haircut $22.6 $18.62
Beauty Salon $66.25 $39.05

Detailed Irvine Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Irvine California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.66 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed Irvine Health Costs Vs. California

Item Irvine California
Optometrist $106.53 $108.57
Doctor $100.28 $116.17
Dentist $114.52 $99.13

Detailed Irvine Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Irvine California
Gasoline $3.32 $2.22
Tire Balancing $52.6 $50.07

Detailed Irvine Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Irvine California
All Electricity $138.7 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Irvine SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
9.5
Safety
8
Amenities
9.5
Education
9
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Irvine

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Irvine. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Santa Ana, CA has a cost of living index of 136, 0.7x Irvine.

  • Costa Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 165, 0.9x Irvine.

  • Mission Viejo, CA has a cost of living index of 166, 0.9x Irvine.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Irvine
Santa Ana, CA 313,818 136 0.7x
Costa Mesa, CA 112,148 165 0.9x
Mission Viejo, CA 93,932 166 0.9x
Newport Beach, CA 85,806 277 1.5x
Lake Forest, CA 85,516 159 0.9x
Tustin, CA 79,895 157 0.9x
Yorba Linda, CA 68,319 181 1.0x
Aliso Viejo, CA 51,943 161 0.9x
Cypress, CA 50,279 154 0.8x
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 48,190 163 0.9x

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