Cost of Living
per year
per month
How Modesto'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 Modesto?
Your $100,000 in Modesto has the same purchasing power as $84,703 in the average US city. You'd need $15,297 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.
Within 10 points of Modesto's cost index of 118, sorted by closest match.
Modesto, California has a cost-of-living index of 118, which is 18% above the national average. The typical renter pays $1,497 per month. The median household earns $73,375 per year.
To match the lifestyle of a $70,000 earner in the average US city, you'd need about $82,642 per year in Modesto. Single renters typically want at least three times the $17,964 threshold to cover housing comfortably.
Modesto is more expensive than most US cities. Overall prices are 18% above the national average.