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 | El Centro | Fresno | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $938/mo | $1,227/mo | 23.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $266,500 | $321,800 | 17.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $54,922 | $63,001 | 12.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 104.8 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 147.6 | 150.2 | 1.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 101.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 101.4 | ≈ 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 El Centro, you'd need $112,854 in Fresno to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
El Centro, CA is about 11.4% cheaper overall than Fresno, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 29% lower in El Centro than in Fresno. If you earn $80,000 in El Centro, you'd need about $90,283 in Fresno to keep the same standard of living.