States › California › El Rio

Is El Rio, CA expensive to live in?

ExpensiveRent takes 34 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,21526% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$78,297about $6,525/month · 10% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$638,30092% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 77% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 8.2 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 $88,600 a year. That is $43 an hour at a full-time job.

Is rent cheaper than other California cities?

Yes. Rent here is cheaper than in most of California. It is number 286 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

El Rio
$2,215
Aptos
$2,183
Wilton
$1,933
Lucas Valley-Marinwood
$3,500+
Joshua Tree
$1,321
Colusa
$1,200
Huron
$1,118

How much do households earn in El Rio?

Under $25k
7.2%
$25k–50k
29.4%
$50k–100k
28.4%
$100k–150k
22.4%
$150k+
10.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 32.6% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in El Rio

SizeEl RioU.S. average
2 bedrooms$2,027$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,408$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,841$2,098

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

How expensive is El Rio 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 El Rio, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in El Rio

🏛️ Property tax$3,608a year · 0.57% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$92a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in El Rio

Commute to work23.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree12.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home55.8%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line20.1%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment10.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in El Rio?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $2,214 a month less.

Renting
$2,215
Owning
$4,429

Owning assumes a typical $638,300 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $63,830 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in El Rio, CA?

Renting in El Rio costs a median of about $2,215 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in El Rio?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $88,600 a year, or $43 an hour at a full-time job.

Is El Rio cheap or expensive?

El Rio is rated Expensive: rent takes 33.9% of the typical household income of $78,297. It ranks 286th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in El Rio?

The median homeowner in El Rio pays $3,608 a year in property taxes, about 0.57% of the median home value.

Is El Rio 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 El Rio?

The median home value in El Rio is $638,300, about 8.2 times the typical yearly household income.

6,368 people live in El Rio. Numbers are typical (middle) values.