States › Maryland › California

Is California, MD expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 20 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,19125% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$129,264about $10,772/month · 48% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$346,8004% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 76% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs under 3 years of household income, which is easy by U.S. standards.

How much money do I need?

To rent here comfortably, you should earn about $87,640 a year. That is $42 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other Maryland cities?

No. Rent here is more expensive than in most of Maryland. It is number 121 of 200 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

California
$2,191
Cambridge
$1,343
Westphalia
$2,307
Kemp Mill
$2,291
Overlea
$2,484
Lexington Park
$1,879
Rosaryville
$2,485

How much do households earn in California?

Under $25k
6.0%
$25k–50k
8.1%
$50k–100k
34.9%
$100k–150k
32.0%
$150k+
17.5%

Share of households by yearly income. 49.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in California

SizeCaliforniaU.S. average
1 bedroom$1,379$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,071$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,176$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,721$2,098

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

How expensive is California overall?

Everyday prices in Maryland overall are 5% above the U.S. average (index 105.0, U.S. = 100).

Housing
121
Goods (food, clothes…)
103
Utilities
111
Other services
102
U.S. average
100

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

Taxes and bills in California

🏛️ Property tax$2,963a year · 0.85% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$164a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in California

Commute to work23.7 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree43.8%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home62.9%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line6.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment2.1%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in California?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $215 a month less.

Renting
$2,191
Owning
$2,406

Owning assumes a typical $346,800 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $34,680 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in California, MD?

Renting in California costs a median of about $2,191 a month in 2026, including utilities. The Maryland median is $2,010.

How much do I need to make to live in California?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $87,640 a year, or $42 an hour at a full-time job.

Is California cheap or expensive?

California is rated OK: rent takes 20.3% of the typical household income of $129,264. It ranks 121st cheapest of 200 Maryland cities we track.

How much are property taxes in California?

The median homeowner in California pays $2,963 a year in property taxes, about 0.85% of the median home value.

Is California more expensive than the national average?

Overall prices in Maryland are 5% above the U.S. average, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

How much does a house cost in California?

The median home value in California is $346,800, about 2.7 times the typical yearly household income.

13,136 people live in California. Numbers are typical (middle) values.