Cost of living in Oakland: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Oakland runs above the US average by 15.6%: BEA puts the 2024 regional price parity (RPP) for the metro area of San Francisco, CA at 115.6, and the US sits at 100, while housing alone reaches 194.7.
- Overall prices
- 115.6US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 194.7 for rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Oakland
A regional price parity compares, for one place, the cost of the same goods and services against the US average, which is set at 100. BEA prices the metro area called San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA as one, and Oakland sits inside it. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, reaching 194.7, or 94.7% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | San Francisco, CA metro | California | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 115.6 | 110.7 | +15.6% |
| Goods | 108.5 | 106.1 | +8.5% |
| Housing (rents) | 194.7 | 154.3 | +94.7% |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 158.9 | +72.6% |
| Other services | 106.2 | 102.6 | +6.2% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024, published by the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. (BEA). BEA parity data
Oakland rent prices
The Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) tracks asking rent on homes listed right now. In Oakland the typical asking rent is $2,758 a month, up +10.8% on a year. In the US the figure is $1,932. Census median gross rent is $2,008, and it counts every renting household, not only new leases. Paying the asking rent for a year takes 32% of the median household income.
| Rent | Oakland | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,758 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +10.8% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $2,008 | $1,487 |
| Median income share, one year of asking rent | 32% | 28% |
Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024, with one-year estimates; and Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Oakland home prices
A typical Oakland home had a value of $710,647 in September 2026, per Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI). It measures the worth of a typical home at the middle of the market. That sits +0.6% higher than a year earlier, while the US figure is $366,157. Buying a home here takes 7.0 years of median household income, versus 4.5 years in the US.
| Home prices | Oakland | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $710,647 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +0.6% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +12.7% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 7.0 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 21.5 | 15.8 |
Housing market details for Oakland: a price chart going back to 2000, a forecast, and days on market. Oakland market data.
The salary needed to live in Oakland
The Oakland salary that buys what your pay buys now comes down to two questions: where you live, and how much you earn.
- Moving from
- Salary
The method, with every city shown side by side: city cost of living comparison.
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Oakland cost of living compared with other cities
| City | Overall prices | Housing | Rent, typical | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 115.6 | 194.7 | $2,758 | $710,647 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
| San Jose | 110.4 | 211.9 | $3,582 | $1,353,869 |
| San Francisco | 115.6 | 194.7 | $4,784 | $1,441,021 |
| Fresno | 102.2 | 95.7 | $1,945 | $384,885 |
| Sacramento | 106.7 | 130.2 | $2,045 | $470,552 |
| Long Beach | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,412 | $852,391 |
| Bakersfield | 100.9 | 90.3 | $1,901 | $385,686 |
Price levels: BEA regional price parities for 2024, US = 100. Rent data: Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
A ranking of every city: city cost of living comparison. Every state: state cost of living.