Cost of Living in Berkeley, CA, United States

Updated On June 20, 2023

How Much Does It Cost to Live In Berkeley, CA?

The first thing to know when settling in another city or country is the possible salary that you will get for specific jobs related to your profession.

Bear in mind that various companies offer different salaries and you might expect higher wages and not get what you were thinking you would, causing many struggling consequences.

However, if the location you have chosen fulfills all the basic requirements, you should not have doubts about moving there.

Cost of Living Index:
72.4
* Based on Research & User Data
Restaurants

RESTAURANTS

In order to provide a more refined estimate of the cost of meals throughout the restaurants in Berkeley, it can be said that restaurants in the main areas are more expensive than those away from the city center.

Do not get surprised by the extremely high price of alcohol, as a bottle of beer is $7 or more.

Markets

MARKETS

Making a living cost comparison between the home city and your future place of residence gives you a chance to know your expenses in advance and act accordingly once coming there.

Food is generally expensive throughout the United States and the very same situation is in Berkeley.

Transportation

TRANSPORTATION

Whether you will choose to live closer to the workplace and pay higher rents, or commute daily to work and save on rent is up to you.

Transportation is not too pricey if you commute by public transport system, but if you drive, expenses would be quite higher.

Utilities

UTILITIES (MONTHLY)

Bad weather doe not only affect the sports people who like doing activities outdoors but also raises the price of utilities during colder months.

Generally speaking, basic services are not expensive here, while the price of the Internet is slightly higher than in other U.S. cities.

Sports and leisure

SPORTS & LEISURE

The weather is definitely a factor when planning your great outdoor activities, so choosing a gym or a fitness center during winter days is a great option.

The prices of clubs are higher than the national average, while tennis court rents are more than affordable.

Clothing and shoes

CLOTHING & SHOES

Avoiding buying designer clothing would be of great benefit to your budget, as branded items are always more expensive than low-cost apparel.

However, prices are in line with the high salaries here, so they would be affordable to people earning high wages.

Rent per month

RENT PER MONTH

The cost of living variations related to the rent is numerous, as the prices differ depending on the size, location, amenities, and quality of the apartment.

The larger and better-equipped one would cost around $5000 which is considered extremely expensive and unaffordable to the majority of residents.

Cost of Living Averages Table for Berkeley, CA

*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.
Average Restaurant Prices
Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant)$20.00
Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter)$7.00
Water (0.33 Liter)$3.33
Average Market Prices
Milk (1 Liter)$1.55
Loaf Bread (500g)$5.95
Eggs (12)$4.78
Average Transport Prices
One Way Ticket$2.50
Monthly Pass$180.00
Gasoline$1.28
Average Utilities Prices
Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling)$155.7
1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local$0.10
Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL)$66.35
Average Leisure Prices
Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult$76.25
Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour)$7.50
Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release$15.00
Average Clothing Prices
1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable)$72.0
1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...)$51.67
1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range)$103.33
Average Rent Prices
Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center$2402.50
Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center$1900.0
Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center$5166.67

How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Berkeley, CA?

The cost of living cannot be exactly determined, but it is usually based on data related to general categories which apply to every person and those are housing, food, transportation, and utilities.

These costs are of the utmost importance, thus taking the majority of the salary.

All the other expenses, such as restaurants, clothing, and entertainment can be avoided or the amount spent on them can be decreased, as they are not essential for a living, especially if you live on a low budget.

Average Costs Breakdown

10%
25.6%
8.8%
5%
4.1%
1.9%
43.6%

Berkeley, CA: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages

Getting acquainted with the general costs in Berkeley is not the only thing to have in mind.

It is also very important to know the average salaries of people working in your profession so as to organize your living there.

Knowing the difference in costs between your home and the future city will help you make decisions about where to live and what can be afforded based on the costs in that location and your spending habits.

It would also tell you whether certain changes have to be made in your lifestyle.

Average Salary$6200.00
Minimum Wage$1256.7
Mortgage Interest Rate6.70%

Cost of Living by City in Berkeley, CA

CityCost of Living Index
Albany, NY72.4
Albuquerque, NM72.4
Anchorage, AK72.4
Ann Arbor, MI72.4
Arlington, TX72.4
Asheville, NC72.4
Atlanta, GA72.4
Austin, TX72.4
Bakersfield, CA72.4
Baltimore, MD72.4
Bellevue, WA72.4
Bellingham, WA72.4
Birmingham, AL72.4
Boise, ID72.4
Boston, MA72.4
Boulder, CO72.4
Brooklyn, NY72.4
Buffalo, NY72.4
Burlington, VT72.4
Charleston, SC72.4
Charlotte, NC73.33
Chattanooga, TN72.4
Chicago, IL72.4
Cincinnati, OH72.4
Cleveland, OH72.4
Columbia, SC72.4
Columbus, OH72.4
Dallas, TX72.4
Dayton, OH72.4
Denver, CO72.4
Des Moines, IA72.4
Detroit, MI72.4
El Paso, TX72.4
Eugene, OR72.4
Everett, WA72.4
Fayetteville, AR72.4
Fort Myers, FL72.4
Fort Wayne, IN72.4
Fort Worth, TX72.4
Fresno, CA74.2
Gainesville, FL74.2
Grand Rapids, MI74.2
Greensboro, NC74.2
Hartford, CT74.2
Honolulu, HI74.2
Houston, TX74.2
Huntsville, AL74.2
Indianapolis, IN74.2
Irvine, CA74.2
Jacksonville, FL74.2
Jersey City, NJ74.2
Kansas City, MO74.2
Knoxville, TN74.2
Las Vegas, NV74.2
Lexington, KY74.2
Little Rock, AR74.2
Long Beach, CA74.2
Los Angeles, CA74.2
Louisville, KY74.2
Lubbock, TX74.2
Madison, WI74.2
Memphis, TN74.2
Miami, FL74.2
Milwaukee, WI74.2
Minneapolis, MN74.2
Nashville, TN74.2
New Orleans, LA74.2
New York, NY74.2
Oakland, CA74.2
Oklahoma City, OK74.2
Olympia, WA74.2
Orlando, FL74.2
Peoria, IL72.4
Philadelphia, PA72.4
Phoenix, AZ72.4
Pittsburgh, PA72.4
Portland, ME72.4
Portland, OR72.4
Raleigh, NC72.4
Reno, NV72.4
Richmond, VA74.2
Rochester, NY74.2
Sacramento, CA74.2
Saint Louis, MO74.2
Saint Paul, MN74.2
Saint Petersburg, FL74.2
Salem, OR74.2
Salt Lake City, UT74.2
San Antonio, TX74.2
San Diego, CA74.2
San Francisco, CA74.2
San Jose, CA74.2
Santa Barbara, CA74.2
Santa Rosa, CA74.2
Seattle, WA74.2
Spokane, WA74.2
Springfield, MO74.2
Syracuse, NY74.2
Tacoma, WA74.2
Tallahassee, FL74.2
Tampa, FL74.2
Toledo, OH74.2
Tucson, AZ74.2
Tulsa, OK74.2
Vancouver, WA74.2
Virginia Beach, VA74.2
Washington, DC74.2
West Palm Beach, FL74.2
Wichita, KS74.2

Where to Next?

See these related locations:

Or, browse the country/city indexes:

Cost of Living - Country Index Cost of Living - City Index

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