Petaluma, CA Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Petaluma, CA Summary

Cost of living in Petaluma 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 Petaluma 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 Petaluma is 161, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Petaluma is 1.6x higher than the national average.

  • Petaluma ranks as the #465 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Petaluma ranks as the #6,015 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Petaluma is $697,700.

  • The median income in Petaluma is $100,379.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
161
Petaluma's Overall Cost Of Living
1.6x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Petaluma, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Petaluma has an overall cost of living index of 161, which is 1.6x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Petaluma has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Petaluma ranks as #465 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Petaluma ranks as the #170 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Petaluma, check out:

465 out of 635
In California
6,015 out of 6,412
In America

Petaluma Cost Of Living Vs. California

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

  • The Services index in Petaluma is 127.

  • The Groceries index in Petaluma is 129.

  • The Health index in Petaluma is 125.

  • The Housing index in Petaluma is 239.

  • The Transportation index in Petaluma is 150.

  • The Utilities index in Petaluma is 138.

Living Expense Petaluma California National Average
Overall 161 139 100
Services 127 110 100
Groceries 129 112 100
Health 125 109 100
Housing 239 204 100
Transportation 150 126 100
Utilities 138 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Petaluma Cost of Living Vs. CA

Petaluma, 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 Petaluma is $697,700.

  • The Median Rent in Petaluma is $2,144.

  • The Median Income in Petaluma is $100,379.

  • The Home Value To Income in Petaluma is 7.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Petaluma is 0.26x.

Statistic Petaluma California United States
Median Home Value $697,700 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,144 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $100,379 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 7.0x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.26x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Petaluma, CA
$697,700
Median Home Value
$2,144
Median Rent
$100,379
Median Income

Petaluma, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Petaluma Services Costs Vs. California

Item Petaluma California
Shampoo $1.35 $1.06
Movie $16.41 $10.68
Bowling $20.0 $14.67
Haircut $22.38 $18.62
Beauty Salon $82.05 $39.05

Detailed Petaluma Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Petaluma California
Ground Beef $3.64 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.8 $1.39
Milk $2.83 $2.05
Potatoes $3.42 $3.29
Pizza $13.47 $10.62
Beer $10.5 $9.38
Toothpaste $3.18 $2.34

Detailed Petaluma Health Costs Vs. California

Item Petaluma California
Optometrist $144.57 $108.57
Doctor $149.63 $116.17
Dentist $132.68 $99.13

Detailed Petaluma Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Petaluma California
Gasoline $3.46 $2.22
Tire Balancing $65.51 $50.07

Detailed Petaluma Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Petaluma California
All Electricity $267.84 $167.67
Phone $198.18 $175.64

Petaluma SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
8.5
Safety
6
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
4

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Petaluma

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

  • Napa, CA has a cost of living index of 155, 1.0x Petaluma.

  • San Rafael, CA has a cost of living index of 192, 1.2x Petaluma.

  • Novato, CA has a cost of living index of 182, 1.1x Petaluma.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Petaluma
Napa, CA 79,700 155 1.0x
San Rafael, CA 61,158 192 1.2x
Novato, CA 53,214 182 1.1x
Rohnert Park, CA 44,420 144 0.9x
San Anselmo, CA 12,795 213 1.3x
Sonoma, CA 10,819 174 1.1x
Boyes Hot Springs, CA 7,791 155 1.0x
Fairfax, CA 7,605 193 1.2x
Cotati, CA 7,603 155 1.0x
Larkfield-Wikiup, CA 7,595 158 1.0x

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