Cost of Living: Petaluma, CA vs Fresno, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Petaluma, CA versus $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA. In the model, rent is about 34.66% of gross in Petaluma, CA versus 19.29% in Fresno, CA, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Petaluma, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Fresno, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in Petaluma, CA
34.66%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Fresno, CA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range

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

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

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

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

Median Rent

Petaluma, CA: $2,260/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo

Median rent in Petaluma, CA is $1,002/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Home Price

Petaluma, CA: $834,900 · Fresno, CA: $348,500

Median home price in Petaluma, CA is $486,400 higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Household Income

Petaluma, CA: $109,823 · Fresno, CA: $66,804

Petaluma, CA has a higher median household income than Fresno, CA by $43,019.

Petaluma, CA overview · Fresno, CA overview · Popular comparisons