Oceanside is a peaceful community in Southern California located just north of San Diego. This laidback city offers scenic views, great weather, and easy access to amenities and attractions. If you're considering moving to this scenic town on the Pacific Coast, you may wonder if Oceanside is expensive?
The truth is that Southern California, in general, is pricier than other parts of the country, especially along the water. However, Oceanside is more affordable than nearby cities like Los Angeles and San Diego. So to give you a better idea of what to expect, here's a look at the cost of living in Oceanside.
Oceanside Cost of Living Index
There are many different factors that influence the cost of living in Oceanside, including the price of consumer goods and necessary expenses like housing, transportation, healthcare, and more. So to get a better sense of the cost of living in a particular place, it helps to look at the data. There are a few different indexes that draw from stats compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and other reputable sources that can help explain the cost of living in Oceanside.
Oceanside Cost of Living Index
First, let's look at the Oceanside cost of living index. The cost of living index is a numerical value that compares the cost of living in a particular city or region to the rest of the country. The national average is 100. Any degrees below or above indicate how cheap or expensive the area is as a percentage.
The COLI for the San-Diego-Carlsbad-Chula Vista area, which includes Oceanside, is 147.2, which means it's 47.2% more expensive than the country overall. Oceanside itself is on the cheaper end of that spectrum, but it's still about 40% more expensive than the US overall. However, the COLI for the Los Angeles metro area is 149.3, which is close to 50% more expensive than the national average.
Although the Oceanside COLI can be a good way to get a general idea of how much it costs compared to other places, it isn't a perfect metric. Many factors impact a city's COLI and may be skewed slightly because of certain trends. For instance, if housing is very expensive, yet other costs like groceries, utilities, and transportation are on par with the average, the COLI may still be significantly higher, making it seem like everything is more costly. So you should look more closely at other statistics to find exactly why the Oceanside COLI may be higher or lower than other places.
Oceanside Consumer Price Index
Another good metric to consider is the Consumer Price Index, which is a tool that measures the change in the price of a typical basket of standard market goods. Based on data published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the consumer price index for the San Diego metro area has decreased 0.7% in the past two months but is still up by 6.7% compared to two years ago.
Prices everywhere went up in 2022 due to inflation, but according to the Oceanside consumer price index, the cost of goods is starting to drop back down. Key drivers behind the increase include food, which increased 4.1% within the last year, and energy prices, which have gone up 13.1% within the last year. So while the cost of most things has increased, certain items increased at a rate higher than others.
Oceanside Consumer Expenditures Survey
You may also want to look at the consumer expenditure survey – a collection of data published by the BLS that charts the income, expenditures, and demographic trends of the local population. Here's a breakdown of the consumer expenditures survey for the San Diego area.
|
US Average |
San Diego Area |
| Income |
$85,906 |
$114,419 |
| Annual Expenditures |
$64,187 |
$88,841 |
| Food* |
12.2% |
11.9% |
| Housing* |
34.3% |
37% |
| Transportation |
16.2% |
12.2% |
| Health Care |
8.3% |
5.7% |
| Entertainment |
5.1% |
6.3% |
So as you can see, residents in the San Diego area have more expenses than the typical American but also make more money. San Diego residents also spend slightly more on housing and less on food than what's typical in the US. However, they also spend considerably less on transportation and healthcare.
Oceanside Family Budget Calculator
Another good tool to use is the Family Budget Calculator, created by the Economic Policy Institute. The calculator shows how much the average family needs to earn to live comfortably in a particular area based on everyday expenses like food, housing, child care, transportation, health care, taxes, and other necessities.
Based on this information, a family of four with two adults and two children would need to make $110,158 to afford to live comfortably in San Diego County. While this can vary depending on your lifestyle, it gives you a general estimate of how expensive it is to live in Oceanside.
Cost of Household Items, Utilities, Gas & Groceries
Although charts and statistics can be great for analyzing the cost of living at a glance, they don't give you a full picture of what you can expect to pay on a day-to-day basis. Therefore, looking at the actual cost of goods is also helpful to determine if you can afford to live in Oceanside. Here are examples of consumer prices, average Oceanside utilities, and more.
Cost of Household Items in Oceanside:
- 1 lb Ribeye Steak: $12.43
- Whole 1/2 Gallon Milk: $2.3
- 1 Dozen Grade A Eggs: $2.99
- 5 lb Bag of Potatoes: $2.99
- 1 Loaf Wheat Bread: $3.41
- Heineken 6-pack: $9.93
- 1st Run Movie Ticket: $14.91
- 1/4 Pound McDonalds Hamburger: $5.52
- Average Cell Phone Bill: $179.39
- Average Cost of Gasoline: $3.97
- Average Oceanside Utilities: $336
- Monthly NCTD Regional Pass: $72 ($23 for seniors, children, and the disabled)
- Average Car Insurance Premium: $142
Oceanside Real Estate Market
Housing is one of the biggest factors that impact a particular place's affordability. The Oceanside housing market is very in demand, especially in neighborhoods near the water. According to Redfin, the median sale price of Oceanside homes for sale is $745,000, which is up by 0.7% since last year but down slightly from the peak in April 2022.
However, the number of Oceanside homes for sale has fallen dramatically since last year. In December 2022, 120 homes were sold, compared to 222 the previous year, which is a 45.9% decrease. The sale-to-list price is still high at 98.9%, and 30.8% of homes sold above the asking price. However, 25.9% experienced a price drop, which is 6.2% higher than last year. The market is still fairly competitive as only 2% of homes sell below the list price and tend to go pending within 33 days.
The price-to-rent ratio is about 1 to 24, which indicates it's much better to rent than buy. The higher the ratio, the better the market is for renters, and anything above 15 generally favors tenants. Rent prices remain relatively affordable, while the Oceanside average home price is considerably higher than the national average, which means it's usually smarter to rent unless you have the budget.
Home Prices in Popular Oceanside Neighborhoods
- Fire Mountain: $1,218,500
- South Oceanside: $1,227,500
- Ocean Hills: $832,000
- Loma Alta: $725,000
- East Side Capistrano: $667,500
Oceanside Rental Market
Oceanside has a strong rental market with many options available for residents of all different backgrounds. In Oceanside, 57% of residents own a home, while 43% are renters. The Census Bureau estimates that most of the housing is smaller apartment buildings and single-family homes and only 12% of buildings have 50 units or more. So if you’re planning a move to Oceanside, expect more small buildings than luxury high rises.
The average rent in Oceanside is $2,525 per month, but prices can range from $1,318 to $10,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. Based on the data in the 2022 Rental Affordability Report by ATTOM, it's more affordable to rent than buy a home in Oceanside. The Out of Reach Report is a study that measures the gap between housing costs and tenant wages. Their data shows that to afford a 2-bedroom apartment at a fair market rent of $2170, a tenant must make at least $41.73 per hour for the cost of housing to not exceed more than 30% of their income. So that gives you a sense of how much you must make to afford the typical rent prices in Oceanside.
Average Salary and Household Income in Oceanside
Now that you understand the costs associated with living in Oceanside, you may want to know how much the average resident makes. The median household income in Oceanside is $78,125, and the per capita income is $36,242. That's about 10% lower than the standard household income in the rest of the San Diego metro area and also about 10% lower than the entire state of California.
According to Payscale, the average rate for an hourly worker in Oceanside is $20.16 per hour.
The average rate for a few common professions include:
- Certified Nurse Assistant: $18
- Customer Service Representative: $17
- Medical Assistant: $19
- Licensed Vocational Nurse: $28
- Office Manager: $20
Income, Sales & Property Taxes in Oceanside
Before deciding whether or not you want to move to Oceanside, you'll likely want to calculate how much you'll have to pay in taxes. Here is what you can expect to pay regarding income, property, and sales tax in Oceanside.
Income Tax
All California residents are subject to state income tax. The California income tax rate varies depending on how much money you make, and they have nine different income brackets, ranging from 1% - 12.3% as determined by the California Franchise Tax Board. You can input your filing status and taxable income using the FTB's 2022 tax calculator to determine how much you would owe in state taxes.
Sales Tax
The effective sales tax rate in Oceanside is 8.25%. A portion of that is paid to the state, county, city, and special districts. Here is a breakdown of what goes into the Oceanside sales tax rate.
| State of California |
6% |
| San Diego County |
0.25% |
| City of Oceanside |
0.5% |
| Special District |
1.5% |
| Total Oceanside Sales Tax |
8.25% |
Property Tax
California has an "ad valorem" property tax, which means the amount you owe is based on a percentage of the home's value. Proposition 13, a tax initiative passed in 1978, put a limit on California property taxes to 1% of the assessed value of a home, plus any voter-approved bonds and debt repayments. So, your Oceanside property tax rate will consist of multiple costs, including the 1% base tax, voter-approved bonds, and fixed charges for special assessments.
There is also something in California called a Mello Roos District, which is an area where residents are charged a special tax to finance public improvements and services, such as streets, sewage, and infrastructure. California taxes are assessed at the local level; therefore, there is no set Oceanside Property Tax rate. The amount you pay will depend on the value of your home, the special districts you are in (schools, fire zones, Mello Roos, etc.), and whether voters approve any debt repayments. But, the average San Diego County tax rate is 1.05% to 1.3% of the property's assessed value.
Oceanside vs. San Diego Cost of Living
Many residents want to know how the cost of living in Oceanside compares to San Diego, because it’s the closest major city. San Diego is slightly more expensive, although not by much. The COLI index for San Diego is 147, whereas Oceanside is closer to 140, which means it’s 7% less expensive. The median home value in San Diego is around $797,000, whereas in Oceanside it's $760,000. So you will save money by living in Oceanside compared to San Diego, but don’t expect a substantial difference.
So now that you have a handle on the cost of living in Oceanside, you can decide for yourself whether you can afford to live there. When you’re ready to make the transition, trust movers in Oceanside to help make the process more manageable. Call today at 619-000-0000 or fill out the form on our website to request a free quote.
