Cost of living in Palm Springs: rent, homes and salary
With a US average of 100, the cost of living in Palm Springs is 6.4% higher. BEA reports a 2024 RPP of 106.4 for the Riverside, CA metro area, and housing stands at 129.3.

- General cost level
- 106.4US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 129.3 for rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index in Palm Springs
By comparing the same basket of goods and services, a regional price parity shows costs in one place against the US average, set at 100. BEA prices the whole region as one, and Palm Springs belongs to the metro area of Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA. Utilities sit furthest from the US average, at 148.6, which puts them 48.6% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Riverside, CA metro | California | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 106.4 | 110.7 | +6.4% |
| Goods | 101.4 | 106.1 | +1.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 129.3 | 154.3 | +29.3% |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 158.9 | +48.6% |
| Other services | 101.3 | 102.6 | +1.3% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024, from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
Palm Springs rent costs
According to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), homes currently listed in Palm Springs have a typical asking rent of $2,067 monthly. That rent is up 2.5% over a year. In the US, that figure is $1,932.
| Rent | Palm Springs | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $2,067 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +2.5% |
One-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024 appear alongside the Zillow Observed Rent Index.
Palm Springs home prices
In September 2026, the Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) placed a typical Palm Springs home at $612,063. This index measures a home’s value in the middle of the market. That works out to −0.4% on a year, compared with $366,157 for the US.
| Home prices | Palm Springs | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $612,063 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | −0.4% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +92.2% | +77.4% |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 24.7 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and a price chart back to 2000: Palm Springs housing market.
Living in Palm Springs: the salary you need
Two things set the salary in Palm Springs: where you live, and what you earn. It is the pay that matches what your current salary buys.
- Moving from
- Salary
Each city appears beside the others with the method shown: compare cost of living by city.
Moving to Palm Springs? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Palm Springs cost of living compared with other cities
| City | General cost level | Housing | Typical rent level | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Springs | 106.4 | 129.3 | $2,067 | $612,063 |
| 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 |
| Oakland | 115.6 | 194.7 | $2,758 | $710,647 |
BEA regional price parities provide the 2024 price levels, with US = 100. Zillow ZORI provides the rent figures. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
View the ranking of all cities: compare cost of living by city. See how each state compares: state cost of living.
