Insights » Cost of Living in California: Cities where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest in 2024

Cost of Living in California: Cities where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest in 2024

What is the cost of living in California? doxo breaks down key insights about California’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities across the state. The average household in California, doxo’s data reveals, pays $3,010 in bills per month.

doxo’s data also has infographics for 460 cities and towns across California, breaking down localized bill pay data figures. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in California and how it changes according to location.

The data sheds light on California’s cost of living through other metrics, too. For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.

California residents pay $3,010 in household bills a month

California residents, overall, have relatively high bills: the state ranks 2nd out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending. Hawaii ranks 1st, with annual monthly expenses of $3,091, and Massachusetts ranks 3rd, at $2,817.

California’s household expenses, on average, are 41.6% higher than the national average of $2,126.

Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. California households spend 36% of their income on household bills.

Annually, California residents pay $521 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in California by clicking on the infographic link below.

Data: doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about California

• Average Bill Cost per HH: $3,010 per month
• State Bill Pay Market Size: $521 billion
• doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 2 out of 50
• Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 36%
• Difference from the National Average: 41.6% higher

Housing bill category drives California’s high monthly bill expenses

The average California household pays $3,010 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive expenses, with both being considerably higher than the national average. The average mortgage payment in California is $2,576, and average rent is $1,927, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,402 and rent bill of $1,300.

Other than housing-related expenses, auto loans are the most significant of the 10 most common bills for Californians. The average auto loan bill in California is $572 a month, which is more than the national average of $496.

Compared to the national average, utilities are also a higher expense for residents of California. The average household in the state pays $377 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $362.

Auto insurance, by contrast, is more affordable in California. While US residents on average spend $209 per month on car insurance, in California they spend $203.

Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.

Average California Household Bill Spending

Porter Ranch has the highest cost of living in California for household bills

Residents of Porter Ranch pay the highest household bills in the state of California, at an average of $4,878 per month. Danville comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $4,580 on average per month.

In proportion to household income, the monthly bill basket makes up 41% of average household income in Porter Ranch and 25% in Danville.

Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.

10 Most Expensive California Cities for Household Bills

*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).

Thermal has the lowest cost of living in California for household bills

Out of 460 cities and towns, Thermal is the most affordable place in California, with residents paying $1,444 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 57% of local income in Thermal.

Red Bluff comes in at the second most affordable town or city in California, with residents paying $1,742 per month on average.

Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in South Dakota are Ridgecrest ($1,754 per month), Chowchilla ($1,779 per month), and Clearlake ($1,827 per month).

10 Most Affordable California Cities for Household Bills

Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one, and doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare California’s household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country. They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for nearly 5,000 towns and cities across the country.