Cost of Living: San Marcos, 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 San Marcos, CA versus $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA. In the model, rent is about 31.92% of gross in San Marcos, CA versus 19.29% in Fresno, CA, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in San Marcos, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in Fresno, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Rent share (1BR) in San Marcos, CA
31.92%
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 San Marcos, CA and Fresno, CA.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

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

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

Median Rent

San Marcos, CA: $2,082/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo

Median rent in San Marcos, CA is $824/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Home Price

San Marcos, CA: $792,400 · Fresno, CA: $348,500

Median home price in San Marcos, CA is $443,900 higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Household Income

San Marcos, CA: $105,286 · Fresno, CA: $66,804

San Marcos, CA has a higher median household income than Fresno, CA by $38,482.

San Marcos, CA overview · Fresno, CA overview · Popular comparisons