National City, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In National City, CA Summary

Cost of living in National City 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 National City 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 National City is 128, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in National City is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • National City ranks as the #257 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • National City ranks as the #5,183 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in National City is $452,100.

  • The median income in National City is $51,735.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
128
National City's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in National City, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, National City has an overall cost of living index of 128, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, National City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in National City ranks as #257 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies National City ranks as the #378 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in National City, check out:

257 out of 635
In California
5,183 out of 6,412
In America

National City Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in National City is 113.

  • The Groceries index in National City is 112.

  • The Health index in National City is 110.

  • The Housing index in National City is 152.

  • The Transportation index in National City is 137.

  • The Utilities index in National City is 127.

Living Expense National City California National Average
Overall 128 139 100
Services 113 110 100
Groceries 112 112 100
Health 110 109 100
Housing 152 204 100
Transportation 137 126 100
Utilities 127 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
National City Cost of Living Vs. CA

National City, 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 National City is $452,100.

  • The Median Rent in National City is $1,345.

  • The Median Income in National City is $51,735.

  • The Home Value To Income in National City is 8.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in National City is 0.31x.

Statistic National City California United States
Median Home Value $452,100 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $1,345 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $51,735 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 8.7x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.31x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In National City, CA
$452,100
Median Home Value
$1,345
Median Rent
$51,735
Median Income

National City, CA Costs By Category

Detailed National City Services Costs Vs. California

Item National City California
Shampoo $1.2 $1.06
Movie $14.42 $10.68
Bowling $22.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.68 $18.62
Beauty Salon $64.57 $39.05

Detailed National City Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item National City California
Ground Beef $4.58 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.72 $1.39
Milk $2.19 $2.05
Potatoes $2.99 $3.29
Pizza $11.43 $10.62
Beer $9.82 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.48 $2.34

Detailed National City Health Costs Vs. California

Item National City California
Optometrist $117.65 $108.57
Doctor $125.0 $116.17
Dentist $107.18 $99.13

Detailed National City Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item National City California
Gasoline $3.24 $2.22
Tire Balancing $56.47 $50.07

Detailed National City Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item National City California
All Electricity $247.56 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

National City SnackAbility

6
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
5
Amenities
10
Education
4
Commute
6

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