Fresno Cost of Living [2025] 💵 – Average Fresno California Cost of Living Guide

Fresno is the largest city in the San Joaquin Valley in the southern area of California's Central Valley. California is known for its high cost of living about 40% above the national average, but how does the Fresno cost of living compare?

This in-depth guide to the Fresno, California, cost of living covers major factors affecting prices, average living expenses, typical wages in the area, and more based on government data and other reliable sources.

Fresno Cost of Living Index – How It Compares to the National Average

The Fresno, California, cost of living index is 107. That means it’s 7% more expensive than the national average but 21% more affordable than the average California cost of living. In terms of affordability, you’ll find food, transportation, healthcare, and even housing are more affordable overall than the U.S. average.

Annual Consumer Expenditures

The annual expenditures survey can help you budget for the cost of living in Fresno CA. Here are the average annual consumer expenditures for the West region:

• Housing: $28,938 (US: $24,298)
• All other items: $14,453 (US: $12,439)
• Transportation costs: $13,420 (US: $12,295)
• Food: $10,699 (US: $9,343)
• Personal insurance and pensions: $9,979 (US: $8,742)
• Healthcare: $5,828 (US: $5,850)

How Much Does it Cost to Live in Fresno?

The Economic Policy Institute has a cost of living calculator that helps you understand what you need to earn to afford the Fresno cost of living. According to the Family Budget Calculator, a family of four would need to earn $8,390 per month or $100,676 per year to afford a modest lifestyle in the metro area.

Cost of Household Items, Utilities, Gas & Groceries in Fresno

Looking at average prices for necessities and services can give you insight into the cost of living in Fresno, CA.

Average prices for common items according to Numbeo:

• Meal at an inexpensive restaurant: $19
• Milk (1 gallon): $401
• Loaf of bread (1 pound): $2.62
• Rice (1 pound): $2.07
• Eggs (12): $3.46
• Apples (1 pound): $1.83

Fresno Area Express (FAX) is the main public transportation option in the area. Regular fare is $1, and reduced cash fare for seniors, people with disabilities, and Medicare card holders is currently free. Children 12 and under, active military members, and veterans ride for free. Public school and State Center Community College District and Fresno State University students currently ride for free. A 31-day monthly pass is $36 or $22 for students. FresnoHOP is a new trolley service offering free public transportation from Thursdays through Saturdays between colleges and popular nightlife destinations.

Doxo is another useful tool to calculate cost of living and common expenses. According to Doxo, the average household in Fresno pays $2,313 per month in bills. That’s 9% above the national average. The average household spends 41% of their annual income on bills. Excluding rent and mortgage costs, Fresno household bills are just 2% above the U.S. average.

Here's how much you can expect to pay for bills per month:

• Average mortgage: $1,593 (US: $1,402)
• Average rent: $1,258 (US: $1,300)
• Average auto loan: $619 (US: $496)
• Average utilities: $390 (US: $362)
• Average auto insurance: $125 (US: $209)

Utilities and auto insurance are well below average. The average water bill in Fresno, CA is about $70. Electricity is the most unpredictable cost: PG&E bills in Fresno can easily top $400 for a smaller apartment in the summer due to air conditioning costs. Heating bills during the coldest months may be $200 or more.

According to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), urban consumers in the West have paid 2.6% more for all items over the past 12 months and 2.5% more for food. Energy prices dropped 2.8%. The price for all items except energy and food increased 3%.

 

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Fresno Housing Market – Average Housing Costs

Affordable housing is one of the biggest factors influencing the affordable Fresno, CA cost of living. The Fresno median home price is $387,500 or $249 per square foot, well below the U.S. median of $442,500. Homes tend to sell quickly, with the average home receiving two offers and selling after 14 median days on the market. Home prices in Fresno are up 4.6% year-over-year.

The median price for a single-family home in the city is $410,000, up 6.9% year-over-year. Condos make up a much smaller share of the real estate market, but with a median price of $213,000, condo living can be very affordable in the Fresno area.

Fresno Rental Market – Average Rent in Fresno CA

If you are going to be renting, the good news is rent is very affordable and even below the U.S. average! The average rent in Fresno is $1,560 compared to $1,715 in the U.S., according to Rentcafe. The neighboring community of Clovis is more expensive for renters, with an average rent of $1,665 per month.

The most affordable neighborhoods in Fresno include Oleander, The Willows, Alta Vista, the Tower District, and Easton, all of which are under $1,350 on average. The most expensive neighborhoods for renters include Bella Montagna and Woodward Lake ($2,300) and Audubon Wedge, Lincoln Park, Riverview, Selma Layne Park, and Woodward Park, all around $1,850 on average.

The 2022 ATTOM Affordability Report says it’s more affordable to rent than to buy a house in Fresno based on the price-to-rent ratio.

 

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Fresno Median Income & Household Income

How much do you need to earn to afford life in Fresno? It may help to look at what current Fresno residents are earning. The average salary in Fresno is $68,637 or $33 per hour. The median household income is $53,368.

The BLS uses wage data reported by the vast majority of employers to determine average pay. According to the BLS, the average weekly wage in Fresno is $1,067 and $1,128 for all of Fresno County. By comparison, the U.S. average is $1,435, and the California average weekly wage is $1,759. The average hourly wage is $29.05 in the Fresno metro area compared to $31.48 for the country.

Here are average hourly wages for popular occupations in the Fresno area:

• Registered nurse (RN): $64.32 (US: $45.42)
• Human resources (HR) manager: $71 (US: $74.39)
• Accountants and auditors: $40.56 (US: $43.65)
• Chefs and head cooks: $31.16 (US: $30.12)
• Construction laborer: $27.43 (US: $23.69)

The highest-paying major occupational groups are management ($59.76), legal ($59.18), and healthcare practitioners and technical ($59.02). Lower-paying jobs are personal care and service ($19.42), healthcare support ($18.18), and food preparation and serving ($17.96).

Here are the most common major occupational groups in Fresno and job groups more common in Fresno than the country overall.

• Office and admin support: 11.4% of jobs (12.2% nationally) with an average hourly wage of $23.73
• Transportation and material moving: 10% of jobs (9.1% nationally) with an average hourly wage of $21.18
• Healthcare support: 8.7% of jobs (4.7% nationally) with an average hourly wage of $18.18
• Educational instruction and library: 7.8% of jobs (5.8% nationally) with an average hourly wage of $34.44
• Farming, fishing, and forestry: 5.2% of jobs (0.3% nationally) with an average hourly wage of $17.43
• Community and social service: 2.2% of jobs (1.8% nationally) with an average hourly wage of $30.83

The MIT Living Wage calculator shows the hourly rate you need to earn to support yourself and/or your family if you are working full time. A single adult with no children needs to earn a living wage of $22.38 in the Fresno metro area. A household with two adults, but only one working, needs to earn $29.83 per hour with no children or $40.68 with two children. A family of two working adults and two children needs to earn a living wage of $26.79 in Fresno.

The minimum wage in the city is $16 per hour.

Income, Sales & Property Taxes in Fresno

Taxes are an easily overlooked aspect of the cost of living in Fresno, especially if you are moving to the area from outside California.

There are nine income tax brackets in the state. California income tax rates range from 1% to 12.3%. Taxpayers earning more than $1 million pay an additional 1% tax.

The average combined state and local sales tax is 8.85% in California. The California sales tax rate is 7.25%. Fresno’s sales tax rate is lower than average for the state. The combined state and local sales tax rate is 7.975% for Fresno County or 8.350% in the city of Fresno.

The average property tax rate is 0.75% of a home’s assessed value in California. Your property tax bill is based on the assessed or taxable value of your home, generally the market value when you purchased your home. Property values can’t increase more than 2% per year until you sell the home or complete new construction. The property tax rate is based on the general tax levy, special taxes approved by voters, and city or tax district assessments. The general tax levy is limited to $1.00 per $100 in taxable value.

There are dozens of tax districts and special taxes that go into your property tax rate. You can explore the 2022-2023 Fresno County Tax Rate Book to get an idea of what you should expect.

Remember that you should not consider the previous owner's property tax bill when buying a home in California. The state has unique tax laws that limit increases in property taxes. Because the taxable value is generally locked in when someone buys their home, they may have been paying taxes based on what the home was worth decades ago.

Fresno CA Cost of Living Comparison

How does the cost of living in Fresno compare with other places in California? Here's an overview of the cost of living in major California cities.

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