Mountain View, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Mountain View, CA Summary

Cost of living in Mountain View 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 Mountain View 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 Mountain View is 220, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Mountain View is 2.2x higher than the national average.

  • Mountain View ranks as the #593 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Mountain View ranks as the #6,353 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mountain View is $1,613,300.

  • The median income in Mountain View is $158,104.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
220
Mountain View's Overall Cost Of Living
2.2x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mountain View, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mountain View has an overall cost of living index of 220, which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Mountain View has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Mountain View ranks as #593 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Mountain View ranks as the #42 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Mountain View, check out:

593 out of 635
In California
6,353 out of 6,412
In America

Mountain View Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Mountain View is 119.

  • The Groceries index in Mountain View is 135.

  • The Health index in Mountain View is 125.

  • The Housing index in Mountain View is 431.

  • The Transportation index in Mountain View is 145.

  • The Utilities index in Mountain View is 137.

Living Expense Mountain View California National Average
Overall 220 139 100
Services 119 110 100
Groceries 135 112 100
Health 125 109 100
Housing 431 204 100
Transportation 145 126 100
Utilities 137 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Mountain View Cost of Living Vs. CA

Mountain View, 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 Mountain View is $1,613,300.

  • The Median Rent in Mountain View is $2,643.

  • The Median Income in Mountain View is $158,104.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mountain View is 10.2x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mountain View is 0.2x.

Statistic Mountain View California United States
Median Home Value $1,613,300 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,643 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $158,104 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 10.2x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.2x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Mountain View, CA
$1,613,300
Median Home Value
$2,643
Median Rent
$158,104
Median Income

Mountain View, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Mountain View Services Costs Vs. California

Item Mountain View California
Shampoo $1.39 $1.06
Movie $13.23 $10.68
Bowling $19.56 $14.67
Haircut $19.39 $18.62
Beauty Salon $67.86 $39.05

Detailed Mountain View Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Mountain View California
Ground Beef $3.73 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.89 $1.39
Milk $2.87 $2.05
Potatoes $3.35 $3.29
Pizza $12.66 $10.62
Beer $10.57 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.07 $2.34

Detailed Mountain View Health Costs Vs. California

Item Mountain View California
Optometrist $136.92 $108.57
Doctor $146.83 $116.17
Dentist $133.38 $99.13

Detailed Mountain View Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Mountain View California
Gasoline $3.38 $2.22
Tire Balancing $62.03 $50.07

Detailed Mountain View Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Mountain View California
All Electricity $269.4 $167.67
Phone $187.26 $175.64

Mountain View SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
9/10
Housing
10
Affordability
5
Diversity
10
Safety
6
Amenities
10
Education
8.5
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mountain View

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

  • San Ramon, CA has a cost of living index of 201, 0.9x Mountain View.

  • Danville, CA has a cost of living index of 218, 1.0x Mountain View.

  • Martinez, CA has a cost of living index of 154, 0.7x Mountain View.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mountain View
San Ramon, CA 85,688 201 0.9x
Danville, CA 43,673 218 1.0x
Martinez, CA 37,308 154 0.7x
Pleasant Hill, CA 34,649 171 0.8x
Benicia, CA 27,191 158 0.7x
Hercules, CA 26,050 155 0.7x
Lafayette, CA 25,384 236 1.1x
American Canyon, CA 21,735 148 0.7x
Orinda, CA 19,497 240 1.1x
Piedmont, CA 11,368 291 1.3x

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