Cost of Living · California

Anaheim Cost of Living

Anaheim, California costs approximately 18.0% above the US national average. Compare with 99 other major US cities.

1.18×

cost-of-living index (1.00 = US national average)

Anaheim ranks 7 of 13 cities in California by cost of living.

Cities MORE expensive than Anaheim (10)

San Francisco, CA

+22.9% more expensive

+14.4% more expensive

New York City, NY

+11.9% more expensive

+10.2% more expensive

+10.2% more expensive

Los Angeles, CA

+3.4% more expensive

+3.4% more expensive

+2.5% more expensive

+1.7% more expensive

+1.7% more expensive

Cities CHEAPER than Anaheim (86)

Chula Vista, CA

−2.5% cheaper

−5.1% cheaper

−6.8% cheaper

−6.8% cheaper

−6.8% cheaper

−6.8% cheaper

−8.5% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.0% cheaper

−11.9% cheaper

Minneapolis, MN

−11.9% cheaper

−11.9% cheaper

−11.9% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

Philadelphia, PA

−13.6% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

−13.6% cheaper

Salt Lake City, UT

−13.6% cheaper

−14.4% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

Virginia Beach, VA

−15.3% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

North Las Vegas, NV

−15.3% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

−15.3% cheaper

−16.1% cheaper

−16.1% cheaper

Colorado Springs, CO

−16.1% cheaper

Bakersfield, CA

−16.1% cheaper

St. Petersburg, FL

−16.1% cheaper

−16.1% cheaper

−16.9% cheaper

Jacksonville, FL

−17.8% cheaper

−17.8% cheaper

−17.8% cheaper

−18.6% cheaper

−18.6% cheaper

−18.6% cheaper

−18.6% cheaper

−18.6% cheaper

−18.6% cheaper

−19.5% cheaper

−19.5% cheaper

Tallahassee, FL

−19.5% cheaper

−20.3% cheaper

Albuquerque, NM

−20.3% cheaper

New Orleans, LA

−20.3% cheaper

San Antonio, TX

−21.2% cheaper

Grand Rapids, MI

−21.2% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

Kansas City, MO

−22.0% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

Corpus Christi, TX

−22.0% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

−22.0% cheaper

−22.9% cheaper

−22.9% cheaper

−22.9% cheaper

Winston-Salem, NC

−22.9% cheaper

Indianapolis, IN

−23.7% cheaper

−23.7% cheaper

−23.7% cheaper

−24.6% cheaper

Oklahoma City, OK

−24.6% cheaper

−24.6% cheaper

−25.4% cheaper

−25.4% cheaper

−25.4% cheaper

−27.1% cheaper

−27.1% cheaper

−27.1% cheaper

What living in Anaheim costs

Anaheim carries a cost index of 1.18x the national baseline, placing it above 86 of the 99 metros tracked and below 10. Rent runs about $2,100 monthly; the median home is near $850,000.

The price-to-rent ratio here is roughly 34, which is high. Above about 20, renting and investing the down payment usually beats buying over a normal holding period — the purchase price is steep relative to what the same property earns as a rental.

Working and living here

Anaheim is a metro of roughly 12.8M and roughly flat, running on tourism/entertainment, manufacturing, healthcare. Larger employers include Disneyland Resort, Kaiser Permanente, Northgate Markets.

California taxes income at the state level, and Anaheim adds no separate city tax. Cost-of-living indexes exclude income tax entirely, so compare after-tax figures rather than index ratios when weighing this metro against one in a no-income-tax state.

Getting around: Anaheim is served by limited transit. Budget for a car — around $9,000 a year all-in once insurance, fuel, maintenance and parking are counted, a cost the index assumes but does not itemise.

Climate: Mediterranean coastal: January highs near 68°F/lows 46°F, July highs near 84°F/lows 63°F, mild and dry year-round.

Anaheim sits inside the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim MSA (~12.8M); despite being a working-class city itself, it shares Orange County's severe housing scarcity and top-5-nationally home prices.

Related tools

Paycheck calculator — take-home after federal, state and local tax. Salary calculator — pay by job and state. Compare against another metro.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anaheim expensive to live in?▾

Relative to the US average, yes — the cost index is 1.18x, above 86 and below 10 of the 99 other metros tracked here. A one-bedroom averages $2,100 a month and the median home $850,000.

What salary do you need to live comfortably in Anaheim?▾

A common rule keeps rent under 30% of gross income, which at $2,100 a month implies about $84,000 a year for a one-bedroom. That is a floor rather than a comfortable figure — it leaves nothing for savings or the car this metro effectively requires.