States › California › South El Monte

Is South El Monte, CA expensive to live in?

OKRent takes 28 cents of every $1 people earn here.
🏠 Rent per month (2026)$1,8586% higher than U.S. average
💵 Families earn per year (2026)$78,720about $6,560/month · 10% lower than U.S. average
🔑 House price$601,00081% higher than U.S. average

Rent is higher than in 61% of U.S. cities. A typical house costs about 7.6 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 $74,320 a year. That is $36 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 176 of 653 cities from cheapest to most expensive.

South El Monte
$1,858
Mead Valley
$2,317
Albany
$2,693
Lennox
$2,141
Hermosa Beach
$3,269
Orinda
$3,500+
Arvin
$1,005

How much do households earn in South El Monte?

Under $25k
19.4%
$25k–50k
21.4%
$50k–100k
32.0%
$100k–150k
17.0%
$150k+
7.3%

Share of households by yearly income. 24.3% of households earn $100,000 or more.

Rent by apartment size in South El Monte

SizeSouth El MonteU.S. average
Studio$1,423$1,338
1 bedroom$1,286$1,324
2 bedrooms$1,954$1,509
3 bedrooms$2,287$1,698
4 bedrooms$2,837$2,098

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

How expensive is South El Monte 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 South El Monte, so the California figure is shown.

Taxes and bills in South El Monte

🏛️ Property tax$3,802a year · 0.63% of home value · U.S. $3,119
⚡ Electric bill$122a month (typical) · U.S. $156

Life in South El Monte

Commute to work27.3 minU.S.: 26.4 min
College degree10.5%U.S.: 35.7%
Own their home50.5%U.S.: 65.2%
Below poverty line20.9%U.S.: 12.5%
Unemployment7.4%U.S.: 5.2%

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in South El Monte?

Renting is cheaper right now: about $2,312 a month less.

Renting
$1,858
Owning
$4,170

Owning assumes a typical $601,000 home, 10% down, a 30-year loan at 6.5% and about 1.5% a year for taxes and insurance. You would also need $60,100 for the down payment.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average rent in South El Monte, CA?

Renting in South El Monte costs a median of about $1,858 a month in 2026, including utilities. The California median is $2,357.

How much do I need to make to live in South El Monte?

To keep rent under 30% of income, you need about $74,320 a year, or $36 an hour at a full-time job.

Is South El Monte cheap or expensive?

South El Monte is rated OK: rent takes 28.3% of the typical household income of $78,720. It ranks 176th cheapest of 653 California cities we track.

How much are property taxes in South El Monte?

The median homeowner in South El Monte pays $3,802 a year in property taxes, about 0.63% of the median home value.

Is South El Monte 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 South El Monte?

The median home value in South El Monte is $601,000, about 7.6 times the typical yearly household income.

19,287 people live in South El Monte. Numbers are typical (middle) values.