How Much Does It Cost to Live In Fresno, CA?
Fresno is a city located in the San Joaquin Valley of California.
The city is close to world-famous national parks, most notably Sequoia and Yosemite, plus it’s an hour away from a ski trip and two hours away from a beach trip.
If you’re a fan of hot sunny weather, it’s the place for you, since, due to constant sunlight, Fresno grows about 90% of the entire United States fruits and vegetables.
The cost of living is reasonable compared to other parts of California.
It’s close to everything and a three-hour drive to San Francisco and L.A.
United States : Cost of Living by City
- Albany, NY
- Albuquerque, NM
- Anchorage, AK
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Arlington, TX
- Asheville, NC
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Bakersfield, CA
- Baltimore, MD
- Bellevue, WA
- Bellingham, WA
- Berkeley, CA
- Birmingham, AL
- Boise, ID
- Boston, MA
- Boulder, CO
- Brooklyn, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Burlington, VT
- Charleston, SC
- Charlotte, NC
- Chattanooga, TN
- Chicago, IL
- Cincinnati, OH
- Cleveland, OH
- Columbia, SC
- Columbus, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Dayton, OH
- Denver, CO
- Des Moines, IA
- Detroit, MI
- El Paso, TX
- Eugene, OR
- Everett, WA
- Fayetteville, AR
- Fort Myers, FL
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Fort Worth, TX
- Fresno, CA
- Gainesville, FL
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Greensboro, NC
- Hartford, CT
- Honolulu, HI
- Houston, TX
- Huntsville, AL
- Indianapolis, IN
- Irvine, CA
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jersey City, NJ
- Kansas City, MO
- Knoxville, TN
- Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Little Rock, AR
- Long Beach, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Louisville, KY
- Lubbock, TX
- Madison, WI
- Memphis, TN
- Miami, FL
- Milwaukee, WI
- Minneapolis, MN
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- New York, NY
- Oakland, CA
- Oklahoma City, OK
- Olympia, WA
- Orlando, FL
- Peoria, IL
- Philadelphia, PA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Portland, ME
- Portland, OR
- Raleigh, NC
- Reno, NV
- Richmond, VA
- Rochester, NY
- Sacramento, CA
- Saint Louis, MO
- Saint Paul, MN
- Saint Petersburg, FL
- Salem, OR
- Salt Lake City, UT
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- San Jose, CA
- Santa Barbara, CA
- Santa Rosa, CA
- Seattle, WA
- Spokane, WA
- Springfield, MO
- Syracuse, NY
- Tacoma, WA
- Tallahassee, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Toledo, OH
- Tucson, AZ
- Tulsa, OK
- Vancouver, WA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Washington, DC
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Wichita, KS
RESTAURANTS
There are actually a lot of good eateries in Fresno, you just have to seek them out.
You can find all kinds of good cuisines and food places as usual for a city as large as Fresno.
Usually, people that are not well off do not eat in fancy restaurants, since a meal in an inexpensive restaurant in Fresno would cost you around 16.50$.
MARKETS
Fresno County is one of the most productive agricultural-producing regions in the world. In this city, you can buy every conceivable fruit or vegetable grown under the sun.
The Vineyard Farmer’s Market is the largest and most extensive of the farmer’s markets in the area.
Fresno State’s Farm Market sells the produce grown by the university’s agriculture department, plus fresh cheese, ice cream, and wine.
TRANSPORTATION
The money you save on car expenses can be used for Uber or Lyft.
San Francisco Municipal Railway is the best way to get around in the city, plus there are connections to Bart and many other Bay Area means of transportation.
It’s not expensive either, with a one-way ticket costing only about 1.27$.
UTILITIES (MONTHLY)
Utilities are expensive in Fresno too, though it does depend on the amount of electricity you use and on the size of your apartment.
For example, for a bit larger apartment, of about 85m2, all basic utilities like heating, cooling, electricity, and gas will cost you around 289.61$.
SPORTS & LEISURE
When it comes to fitness and sports, you should know that practicing sports or going to the gym in Fresno is rather inexpensive.
A gym or a fitness club membership will cost you only around 44$, while going to the cinema and enjoying some movie time has never been more expensive.
Prepare to pay a whopping 15$ per ticket.
CLOTHING & SHOES
River Park Shopping Center is the most popular shopping center and hangout site in the city of Fresno.
And if you’re set on shopping in Fresno, you should get familiar with the prices right away.
Quality jeans will cost you around 52$, and you won’t find any good running sneakers without cashing out close to 70$.
RENT PER MONTH
Renting an apartment or a home is cheap (in some cases dirt cheap), especially by Californian standards.
Of course, the cost of apartments varies across the country, but if you intend to rent something in the center of Fresno, you will have to pay around 1,375.0$ for a small apartment.
A spacious apartment or a house will cost you from 2,425.00$ and upwards.
Cost of Living Averages Table for Fresno, CA
*Note: All prices are indicated in USD.| Average Restaurant Prices | |
|---|---|
| Meal (Inexpensive Restaurant) | $16.50 |
| Domestic Beer (0.5 Liter) | $7.00 |
| Water (0.33 Liter) | $1.65 | Average Market Prices |
| Milk (1 Liter) | $1.13 |
| Loaf Bread (500g) | $3.13 |
| Eggs (12) | $4.38 | Average Transport Prices |
| One Way Ticket | $1.38 |
| Monthly Pass | $37.50 |
| Gasoline | $1.27 | Average Utilities Prices |
| Basic (Water, Electricity, Garbage, Heating, Cooling) | $289.61 |
| 1 min. of Prepaid Mobile Tariff Local | $0.10 |
| Internet (Unlimited Data, Cable/ADSL) | $71.1 | Average Leisure Prices |
| Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult | $44.9 |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | $45.00 |
| Cinema, 1 Seat, International Release | $15.00 | Average Clothing Prices |
| 1 Pair of Jeans (Levis 501 Or Comparable) | $52.00 |
| 1 Summer Dress in a Chain Store (Zara, etc...) | $28.33 |
| 1 Pair of Adidas Walking Shoes (Mid-Range) | $67.22 | Average Rent Prices |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) in City Center | $1375.0 |
| Apartment (1 bedroom) Outside of Center | $1259.80 |
| Apartment (3 bedrooms) in City Center | $2425.00 |
How Does the Average Person Spend Their Money in Fresno, CA?
Surprisingly, for a popular city in California, the biggest expense of living in Fresno isn’t rent, but food.
Food is definitely the biggest expense for anyone living in Fresno – though this is the situation in most countries around the world.
Food is an everyday necessity and when it’s not cheap, it amounts to a high monthly expense.
Rent is barely half a percent behind food – taking up almost 30% of one’s entire salary.
Other significant expenses for the people of Fresno are restaurants (a very high percentage) and transportation, while clothing and shoes draw the least amount of money from them.
Average Costs Breakdown
Fresno, CA: Average Salary, Minimum Wage & Mortgages
If you have any qualifications related to agriculture, you probably will find a good job, since agriculture is big here.
There are many new open jobs in Fresno, and it’s a city with many opportunities and relatively low prices for a Californian city.
The usual minimum wage is around 1200$ which is a decent minimum wage and most people can earn for a normal life.
An average monthly salary in Fresno is around 4,551.39$ which is absolutely enough for a comfortable life in this country.
Fresno Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Fresno Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: MEDIUM
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: MEDIUM
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: HIGH
- MUGGING RISK: MEDIUM
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: MEDIUM
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: MEDIUM
