Cost of Living: Oakland, CA vs San Marcos, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Oakland, CA versus $3,974/mo in San Marcos, CA. In the model, rent is about 27.93% of gross in Oakland, CA versus 31.92% in San Marcos, CA, so Oakland, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Oakland, CA and San Marcos, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): San Marcos, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Oakland, CA
- Lower home prices: San Marcos, CA
- Higher median household income: San Marcos, CA
Cost of Living Index
Oakland, CA: 165.2 (U.S. = 100) · San Marcos, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100)
San Marcos, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Oakland, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Oakland, CA: $1,821/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Marcos, CA: $2,082/mo
Median rent in San Marcos, CA is $261/mo higher than in Oakland, CA.
Median Home Price
Oakland, CA: $924,700 · San Marcos, CA: $792,400
Median home price in Oakland, CA is $132,300 higher than in San Marcos, CA.
Median Household Income
Oakland, CA: $97,369 · San Marcos, CA: $105,286
San Marcos, CA has a higher median household income than Oakland, CA by $7,917.
Oakland, CA overview · San Marcos, CA overview · Popular comparisons