Cost of Living: Fresno, CA vs Monterey, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA versus $3,974/mo in Monterey, CA. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Fresno, CA versus 33.34% in Monterey, CA, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Fresno, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Monterey, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Fresno, CA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Monterey, CA
33.34%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Fresno, CA and Monterey, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Monterey, CA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Fresno, CA
  • Lower home prices: Fresno, CA
  • Higher median household income: Monterey, CA

Cost of Living Index

Fresno, CA: 108.5 (U.S. = 100) · Monterey, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100)

Monterey, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Fresno, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Monterey, CA: $2,174/mo

Median rent in Monterey, CA is $916/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Home Price

Fresno, CA: $348,500 · Monterey, CA: $1,003,300

Median home price in Monterey, CA is $654,800 higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Household Income

Fresno, CA: $66,804 · Monterey, CA: $104,110

Monterey, CA has a higher median household income than Fresno, CA by $37,306.

Fresno, CA overview · Monterey, CA overview · Popular comparisons