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  • GOBankingRates

    Here’s the Cost of Living in 26 Sunny California Cities: Could You Afford To Live There?

    By Virginia Anderson,

    22 days ago

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1vX3gV_0u3Q7prs00

    The allure of California’s golden-sand beaches and relaxed lifestyle attracts new residents every year. The state has something for everyone — a burgeoning tech scene, a lively entertainment industry — hello, Hollywood! — and jaw-dropping scenic towns like Lake Tahoe and Big Sur.

    However, the cost of living in California isn’t cheap. Here’s a look at the livability index and cost of living for 26 of California’s sunniest cities.

    Explore More: Cheapest Places To Buy a Home in Every State

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    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0oTzRk_0u3Q7prs00
    stellalevi / Getty Images

    Imperial

    • Population: 20,430
    • Livability: 69
    • Average home value: $389,685
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,319
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,090
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,409

    Check Out: Here’s How Much the Definition of Rich Has Changed in Every State

    Learn More: Housing Market 2024: Here’s the Average Home Price in Every State

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    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1WlPNV_0u3Q7prs00
    ©iStock.com

    San Bernardino

    • Population: 221,041
    • Livability: 58
    • Average home value: $491,291
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,924
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,041
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,965

    Find Out: What the Upper Middle Class Makes in Different US Cities

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4YIWbn_0u3Q7prs00
    Davel5957 / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Riverside

    • Population: 316,076
    • Livability: 67
    • Average home value: $645,595
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $3,842
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,066
    • Total monthly cost of living: $5,908
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4gYqvd_0u3Q7prs00
    Qymekkam / Wikimedia Commons

    Merced

    • Population: 87,686
    • Livability: 78
    • Average home value: $394,395
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,347
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,160
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,507
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1YTcqj_0u3Q7prs00
    DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    San Joaquin

    • Population: 3,725
    • Livability: 44
    • Average home value: $272,968
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $1,625
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,024
    • Total monthly cost of living: $3,648
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=21oqzz_0u3Q7prs00
    DutcherAerials / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    San Diego

    • Population: 1,383,987
    • Livability: 75
    • Average home value: $1,163,681
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,926
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,367
    • Total monthly cost of living: $9,293

    Discover More: Housing Market 2024: Home Prices Are Plummeting in 10 Formerly Overpriced Housing Markets

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2wE2Nh_0u3Q7prs00
    Wirestock / Getty Images

    Fresno

    • Population: 541,528
    • Livability: 63
    • Average home value: $391,610
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,331
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,077
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,408
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4Q2YMY_0u3Q7prs00
    DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Orange

    • Population: 138,728
    • Livability: 71
    • Average home value: $1,134,680
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,753
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,093
    • Total monthly cost of living: $8,846
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=38Prao_0u3Q7prs00
    Manny Chavez / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Sacramento

    • Population: 523,600
    • Livability: 73
    • Average home value: $491,908
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,928
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,231
    • Total monthly cost of living: $5,158
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0zoIqu_0u3Q7prs00
    Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Tulare

    • Population: 69,261
    • Livability: 61
    • Average home value: $340,578
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,027
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,079
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,106

    Read Next: Here’s How Much the Definition of Middle Class Has Changed in Every State

    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1WetOI_0u3Q7prs00
    JasonDoiy / iStock.com

    Sutter

    • Population: 2,848
    • Livability: 65
    • Average home value: $410,399
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,442
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,213
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,656
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0UbLlE_0u3Q7prs00
    DianeBentleyRaymond / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Alameda

    • Population: 77,565
    • Livability: 69
    • Average home value: $1,318,155
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $7,845
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,304
    • Total monthly cost of living: $10,149
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=01ydra_0u3Q7prs00
    Michael Warren / Getty Images

    Madera

    • Population: 66,784
    • Livability: 52
    • Average home value: $404,126
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,405
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $1,996
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,401
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0P1GER_0u3Q7prs00
    TheCrimsonRibbon / iStock.com

    Los Angeles

    • Population: 3,881,041
    • Livability: 67
    • Average home value: $1,043,216
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,209
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,199
    • Total monthly cost of living: $8,408

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    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1N4bzr_0u3Q7prs00
    sshepard / Getty Images

    San Luis Obispo

    • Population: 47,529
    • Livability: 72
    • Average home value: $1,145,195
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,816
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,019
    • Total monthly cost of living: $8,835
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=00MDtQ_0u3Q7prs00
    Mattia Panciroli / Flickr.com

    Monterey

    • Population: 30,007
    • Livability: 78
    • Average home value: $1,260,460
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $7,502
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,183
    • Total monthly cost of living: $9,685
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1zCMBj_0u3Q7prs00
    Eloi_Omella / iStock.com

    San Francisco

    • Population: 851,036
    • Livability: 75
    • Average home value: $1,437,512
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $8,555
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,630
    • Total monthly cost of living: $11,185
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2SAhtm_0u3Q7prs00
    Skyhobo / Getty Images

    Colusa

    • Population: 6,380
    • Livability: 70
    • Average home value: $368,889
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $2,195
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,123
    • Total monthly cost of living: $4,319

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    YaskoCreative / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Santa Barbara

    • Population: 88,640
    • Livability: 73
    • Average home value: $1,993,142
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $11,862
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,117
    • Total monthly cost of living: $13,979
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=0k1tvE_0u3Q7prs00
    DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Santa Clara

    • Population: 128,058
    • Livability: 79
    • Average home value: $1,835,803
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $10,926
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,347
    • Total monthly cost of living: $13,273
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4K1Vys_0u3Q7prs00
    Tiocfaidh ár lá 1916 / Flickr.com

    San Mateo

    • Population: 104,165
    • Livability: 81
    • Average home value: $1,880,062
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $11,189
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,442
    • Total monthly cost of living: $13,631
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1dp4Yl_0u3Q7prs00
    Spondylolithesis / iStock.com

    Napa

    • Population: 79,233
    • Livability: 72
    • Average home value: $950,072
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,654
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,155
    • Total monthly cost of living: $7,810

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    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4V7F5x_0u3Q7prs00

    Alpine

    • Population: 15,911
    • Livability: 56
    • Average home value: $995,684
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,926
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,248
    • Total monthly cost of living: $8,173
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1qLxW6_0u3Q7prs00
    Aaron Hawkins / Getty Images

    Santa Cruz

    • Population: 61,367
    • Livability: 74
    • Average home value: $1,419,841
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $8,450
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,188
    • Total monthly cost of living: $10,638
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3orzSt_0u3Q7prs00
    Calmuziclover / Flickr.com

    Sonoma

    • Population: 10,702
    • Livability: 73
    • Average home value: $1,063,240
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $6,328
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,221
    • Total monthly cost of living: $8,549
    https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1kobc3_0u3Q7prs00
    travellinglight / Getty Images/iStockphoto

    Mendocino

    • Population: 731
    • Livability: 62
    • Average home value: $902,002
    • Average monthly mortgage cost: $5,368
    • Average monthly expenditure cost: $2,039
    • Total monthly cost of living: $7,407

    For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed the sunniest cities in the United States to find the cost of expenses. First, GOBankingRates found the sunniest cities by using the National Centers for Environmental Information’s Climate at a Glance data to find the total amount of precipitation a location received from March 2023 to April 2024, in order to estimate the amount of sunshine a location gets. For each city, a number of factors were found, including: cost of living indexes as sourced from Sperlings BestPlaces, livability index as sourced from AreaVibes and the average single family home value from April 2024 as sourced from the Zillow Home Value Index. The cost of living indexes were used along with the average expenditure cost for all residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, to find the average cost of expenditures in each city. By assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage cost can be calculated for each city. Using the mortgage and expenditure costs, the total average monthly cost of living can be calculated. The cost of living expenditures were listed to show some of the monthly expenditure costs, including grocery, transportation, utilities, healthcare and misc. The cities were sorted to show the sunniest cities first. Only cities located in California were included for this piece. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 4, 2024.

    Photo Disclaimer: Please note photos are for representational purposes only. As a result, some of the photos might not reflect the locations listed in this article.

    This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : Here’s the Cost of Living in 26 Sunny California Cities: Could You Afford To Live There?

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