States › California › Arroyo Grande

Is Arroyo Grande, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 27 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,53444% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$110,603about $9,217/month · 27% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$814,200145% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 86% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 7.4 years of household income, so buying is hard for most locals.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $101,360 a year. That is $49 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of California. It is number 394 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Arroyo Grande
$2,534
Cameron Park
$1,896
Olivehurst
$1,443
Phelan
$1,617
Valle Vista
$1,843
Arcata
$1,426
Stanford
$2,086

How much do households earn in Arroyo Grande?

Under $25k
10.2%
$25k–50k
15.3%
$50k–100k
34.2%
$100k–150k
22.8%
$150k+
15.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 38.0% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Arroyo Grande

SizeArroyo GrandeU.S. average
Studio$1,551$1,338
1 bedroom$1,434$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,352$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,814$1,698
4 bedrooms$3,500+$2,098

Median monthly rent plus utilities for all renters, by number of bedrooms.

How expensive is Arroyo Grande overall?

Everyday prices in California overall are 11% above the U.S. average (index 110.7, U.S. = 100).

Housing
154
Goods (food, clothes…)
106
Utilities
159
Other services
103
U.S. average
100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities 2024. City-level data is not published for Arroyo Grande, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Arroyo Grande

🏛️ Property tax$5,211a year · 0.64% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$93a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Arroyo Grande

Commute to work23.8 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree45.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home60.6%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line4.8%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.9%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Arroyo Grande?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $3,115 a month less.

Renting
$2,534
Owning
$5,649

Owning assumes a typical $814,200 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $81,420 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Arroyo Grande, CA?

Renting in Arroyo Grande costs a median of about $2,534 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Arroyo Grande?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $101,360 a year, or $49 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Arroyo Grande cheap or expensive?

Arroyo Grande is rated OK: rent takes 27.5% of the typical household income of $110,603. It ranks 394th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Arroyo Grande?

The median homeowner in Arroyo Grande pays $5,211 a year in property taxes, about 0.64% of the median home value.

Is Arroyo Grande more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in California are 11% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in Arroyo Grande?

The median home value in Arroyo Grande is $814,200, about 7.4 times the typical yearly household income.

18,372 people live in Arroyo Grande. Numbers are typical (middle) values.