Cost of Living
per year
per month
How Berkeley's prices compare to the US city average across major spending categories.
Index: 100 = US city average. Values >100 mean more expensive, <100 means cheaper.
How far does your salary go in Berkeley?
Your $100,000 in Berkeley has the same purchasing power as $61,346 in the average US city. You'd need $38,654 more here to maintain that standard of living.
Demographics and workforce data from the US Census ACS 5-Year.
bachelor's or higher
Climate, safety, and walkability indicators.
See a side-by-side breakdown of cost of living, housing, and salaries.
Popular comparisons
Sorted by affordability — most affordable first.
Berkeley, California has a cost-of-living index of 163, which is 63% above the national average. The typical renter pays $2,067 per month. The median household earns $104,716 per year.
To match the lifestyle of a $70,000 earner in the average US city, you'd need about $114,107 per year in Berkeley. Single renters typically want at least three times the $24,804 threshold to cover housing comfortably.
Berkeley is more expensive than most US cities. Overall prices are 63% above the national average.