Is Moving To California Worth It?

Get specific about your needs when comparing the cost of living between two cities: Maybe the most obvious factor that you may want to examine in the area you’re thinking about moving to is the cost of housing.

Average California Housing Prices in 2024

According to national housing marketplace Zillow, the average home value in California hovers around $744,280, which is down nearly 3% from last year, but is still significantly higher than the national median value of $349,770. Home prices in California are so high that statewide only 16% of residents can actually afford to be homeowners, according to the California Association of Realtors.

But beyond housing, the cost of living in California includes several dozen factors, which vary across the state—things like the average cost of seeing a doctor or the average cost of food. To get an idea of what you’re typically spending, diligently track your current expenses, both wants and needs, for one full month in a document.

Want to go out for pizza and a movie? In California that’ll cost you about $31, which is $10 higher than the national median cost ($21) of a movie and pizza night.

Is that significantly higher or lower than you’re used to paying? You’ll need to examine your current budget to see how it’ll stack up if you move. Also, consider the cost of visiting a doctor.

These are the average costs for one visit to various types of medical professionals in Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade versus the national median:

• Dentist: $94.80 vs. $98.33
• Optometrist: $148.50 vs. $105.84
• Doctor: $194.75 vs. $111.23

Average Cost of Groceries in California

Using data from The Council for Community and Economic Research, here’s a sample of average food prices across the Sacramento-Roseville-Arden-Arcade area versus the national median:

• Ground beef: $4.96 vs. $4.18
• Orange juice: $4.53 vs. $3.56
• Eggs: $2.52 vs. $1.39

If you were to buy ground beef, orange juice and eggs each week at the grocery store, you’d pay $12.01 per week and $624.52 per year. That’s higher than the national weekly median cost for ground beef, orange juice and eggs of $9.13.

Average Cost of Gas in California in 2023

California also has the highest gas prices in the nation; in September of 2023, the average gas price per gallon was $5.36 as compared to the national average of $3.82. Depending on where you live in California, this could be a big expense.

In Los Angeles, for instance, you will likely be traveling by car most of the time, in San Francisco, you may rely on public transportation more than driving.

The good news is that while it is relatively expensive to live in California, the average salaries are high here, too. According to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly salary in California is more than $61,000 (which places this state in the top 10 nationwide). That average gets significantly higher around California’s tech hubs (like San Gabriel, Sunnyvale and Palo Alto) where average annual salaries approach and exceed six figures—way, way above national averages.

California’s pleasant, Mediterranean-like climate in much of the state is a huge draw for visitors and residents alike and average daily temperatures hover around a balmy 70 degrees Fahrenheit all year round in these areas. Miles and miles of coastline also mean that California boasts some of the most incredible beaches in the country.

But California also sees its fair share of climate-related disasters, with high incidences of wildfires and drought. Since 2000, there have been over 8,000 wildfires in California alone, according to California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Some of these fires have resulted in fatalities, and many have disrupted entire regions causing massive evacuations and moves, as well as loss of property.

The high incidence of natural disasters has also proven majorly expensive for the insurance industry, which has resulted in big insurers actively leaving California, making it harder to find coverage for your dwelling and more expensive when you do.

Although high school graduation rates are in the top 20% nationally at 80.4%, the state has historically lagged behind the rest of the nation when it comes to test scores. Many experts attribute this to relatively low state spending on public education.

Pros:

• Weather
• Outdoor lifestyle
• High salaries
• Culturally diverse

Cons:

• High cost of living
• Frequent natural disasters
• Public school test scores

Once you’ve decided that moving to California is worth it, compare the best moving companies to make sure you have one that will work for all of your needs.