City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Costa Mesa | Fresno | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,268/mo | $1,227/mo | 84.8% higher in A |
| Median home value | $959,800 | $321,800 | 198.3% higher in A |
| Median household income | $104,981 | $63,001 | 66.6% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Costa Mesa, you'd need $54,104 in Fresno to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Fresno, CA is about 45.9% cheaper overall than Costa Mesa, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 46% lower in Fresno than in Costa Mesa. If you earn $80,000 in Costa Mesa, you'd need about $43,283 in Fresno to keep the same standard of living.