States › California › Garden Grove

Is Garden Grove, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 30 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$2,46641% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$99,410about $8,284/month · 14% higher than U.S. average
🔑 House price$814,100145% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 85% 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 $98,640 a year. That is $47 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 368 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

Garden Grove
$2,466
Oceanside
$2,731
Lancaster
$2,211
Rancho Cucamonga
$2,636
Santa Rosa
$2,393
Palmdale
$2,123
Elk Grove
$2,759

How much do households earn in Garden Grove?

Under $25k
11.0%
$25k–50k
16.3%
$50k–100k
33.8%
$100k–150k
20.2%
$150k+
14.2%

Share of households by yearly income. 34.5% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in Garden Grove

SizeGarden GroveU.S. average
Studio$1,830$1,338
1 bedroom$1,734$1,324
2 bedrooms$2,182$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,751$1,698
4 bedrooms$3,349$2,098

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

How expensive is Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in Garden Grove

🏛️ Property tax$5,087a year · 0.62% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$119a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in Garden Grove

Commute to work28.5 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree25.3%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home53.1%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line12.3%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment6%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Garden Grove?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $3,183 a month less.

Renting
$2,466
Owning
$5,649

Owning assumes a typical $814,100 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $81,410 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in Garden Grove, CA?

Renting in Garden Grove costs a median of about $2,466 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in Garden Grove?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $98,640 a year, or $47 an hour at a full-time job.

Is Garden Grove cheap or expensive?

Garden Grove is rated OK: rent takes 29.8% of the typical household income of $99,410. It ranks 368th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in Garden Grove?

The median homeowner in Garden Grove pays $5,087 a year in property taxes, about 0.62% of the median home value.

Is Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove?

The median home value in Garden Grove is $814,100, about 8.2 times the typical yearly household income.

170,964 people live in Garden Grove. Numbers are typical (middle) values.