Skip to content

Cities Compare Guides Articles ES

Powered by data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities and U.S. Census Bureau.

About | Privacy | Terms | Disclaimer | Contact

More Insights

Salaries City Guides ZIP Codes Fair Rents Property Tax

Comparing what it really costs to live in 380+ metro areas.

© 2026 CostByCity

Home / Most Affordable Cities in the US / California

Most Affordable Cities in California

Cities with the lowest cost of living in California.

Most Expensive Cities Most Affordable Cities Cheapest Housing Most Expensive Housing

View national rankings | All cities in California

CityCost Index

1.El Centro, CA95.2 2.Merced, CA98.3 3.Visalia, CA99.8 4.Redding, CA100.7 5.Bakersfield, CA100.9 6.Chico, CA101.2 7.Hanford, CA101.6 8.Fresno, CA102.2 9.Modesto, CA104.1 10.Yuba City, CA104.2 11.Stockton, CA105.1 12.Riverside, CA106.4 13.Sacramento, CA106.7 14.Santa Rosa, CA107.8 15.Vallejo, CA108.5 16.San Luis Obispo, CA108.6 17.Santa Maria, CA108.8 18.Salinas, CA109.0 19.Santa Cruz, CA109.9 20.San Jose, CA110.4 21.Oxnard, CA110.5 22.San Diego, CA111.9 23.Napa, CA112.6 24.Los Angeles, CA113.6 25.San Francisco, CA115.6