Cost of Living in Carmel By The Sea, CA 2025
51%
|
Higher Than National Avg.
21%
|
Higher Than State Avg.
Carmel By The Sea's 2025 cost of living is $3734 per month for singles and $8222 per month for families of four.
Living costs in Carmel By The Sea are 51% higher than the U.S. national average and 21% higher than California's state average.
This reflects a 3% increase from 2024.
The primary drivers of Carmel By The Sea's cost of living are soaring housing costs, elevated transportation expenses, and rising food prices.
See how Carmel By The Sea's cost of living affects your budget or salary needs with Salary.com's free Cost of Living Calculator.
Cost of Living Calculator
How does Carmel By The Sea's cost of living compare to the national average in 2025?
Living in Carmel By The Sea is more expensive than the national average,
with housing costs 24.9 % higher at $1499
per month for a single person and $2749 per month for a family of four.
Food expenses run 26.8 %
above average at $507
monthly for an individual and $1648 for a family,
while energy, transportation and healthcare costs are 16.7 % higher at about $1021 per month
for one person and $2250 for a household.
These costs bring the total monthly expenses to $3027
for a single person and $6647 for a family of four,
making Carmel By The Sea one of America's most expensive cities.
| Expense Category | Average Monthly Expense Single Person | Average Monthly Expense Family of Four | Carmel By The Sea compare to: U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1499 | 2749 |
|
|
507 | 1648 |
|
|
235 | 403 |
|
|
459 | 975 |
|
|
327 | 872 |
|
How does the cost of living compare when moving from other major cities to Carmel By The Sea?
Carmel By The Sea's 2025 cost of living is 25% lower than San Francisco,
5% more than Washington, 22% above Miami
, 26% higher than Chicago, 1% less than Boston
, and 16% below New York.
Essential for evaluating relocation costs and salary needs in Carmel By The Sea.
| Move From | Move To | Cost of Living Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | Carmel By The Sea |
|
| Washington, DC | Carmel By The Sea |
|
| Miami, FL | Carmel By The Sea |
|
| Chicago, IL | Carmel By The Sea |
|
| Boston, MA | Carmel By The Sea |
|
| New York, NY | Carmel By The Sea |
|
| Dallas, TX | Carmel By The Sea |
|
About Carmel By The Sea, CA
Carmel-by-the-Sea /kɑːrˈmɛl/, often simply called Carmel, is a city in Monterey County, California, United States, founded in 1902 and incorporated on October 31, 1916. Situated on the Monterey Peninsula, Carmel is known for its natural scenery and rich artistic history. In 1906, the San Francisco Call devoted a full page to the "artists, writers and poets at Carmel-by-the-Sea", and in 1910 it reported that 60 percent of Carmel's houses were built by citizens who were "devoting their lives to work connected to the aesthetic arts." Early City Councils were dominated by artists, and the city has...
Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia
Comments about the cost of living in Carmel By The Sea, CA
Buying a home and the cost of living
If you want to buy a home in the beautiful state of California, you will find that it is one of the highest residential home markets in the country. Purchasing a home can be a lengthy and complex process. Besides the down payment, which is usually 15-20% of the selling price, there will be closing costs. If you own a home in your former location the sale of that home needs to be completed as well. Once you have purchased and moved into your new home, there will be utility and maintenance costs as well as property taxes and home insurance that will contribute to your cost of living. The advantages of living in California are many, but the high cost of buying a home is not one of them. (
2025-07-24
salary.com
)
Healthcare access and affordability and your cost of living
California is ranked number 23 out of all states in overall healthcare access and affordability.
Healthcare costs make up a significant part of the cost of living. The ability to afford healthcare as well as the ability to access care are key indicators of how much you will be paying for this important resource if you move to another state. Affordability is generally measured by the rates set for insurance coverage in a state, as well as the out-of-pocket expenses that need to be paid by you when receiving the care. If rates or out-of-pocket expenses are high, your cost of living will increase. Access to healthcare is how easy or difficult it may be to receive the care. Access is measured by identifying barriers that might prevent the delivery of care such as the inability to obtain insurance coverage, having to travel long distances to health care centers and lack of sufficient facilities and/or healthcare professionals. The timeliness of care, how fast you can get to see a healthcare provider, is another important measure.
(
2025-07-24
salary.com
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Cost of Living Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Cost of Living index and how is it used?
In the simplest terms, a Cost of Living index is the estimated amount that represents the cost of the basic necessities required for an individual to live. A cost of living or COL estimate may typically include estimates for housing, food, energy, medical care, transportation, taxes, and other necessities. A COL index may be used to measure what the cost difference would be for a person living in a certain location compared to another location. This cost of living comparison helps individuals make decisions about where they would like to live and what they can afford based on the costs in that location. A cost of living comparison can provide guidance about how an increase or decrease in these basic living expenses impacts necessary spending for an individual or a family.
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2025-07-24
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What factors are included in estimating your cost of living?
The Salary.com cost of living calculator estimate is based on data related to five general categories: housing, food, healthcare, transportation, and energy. These are the universally recognized core components of any cost of living estimate and represent those expenses that apply to everyone. Obviously, there may be other factors that could contribute to your particular cost of living situation and not everyone has the same spending habits. For example, education and/or childcare costs might not apply to everyone, but for those who have those expenses, they could be significant and should be considered when you evaluate your cost of living comparison.
(
2025-07-24
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The Salary.com cost of living calculator is unique in that it also incorporates current salary data for thousands of jobs specific to a chosen home or work location to provide a more refined estimate of the cost of living variations. You can see how your job and your salary will be impacted by a change of location. If you live in one location but work in another, the cost of living calculator will make those adjustments to provide an accurate estimate of the change in COL. The Salary.com cost of living calculator helps you to make cost of living comparisons cost comparisons easily and quickly.
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2025-07-24
salary.com
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See how much you can get when it is an hourly pay
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See how much you can get when it is a yearly pay
Use our Salary Converter Tool, a user-friendly resource designed to see how much your salary will be if converted into hourly/weekly/biweekly/monthly/yearly pay. With just a few clicks, you can gain valuable insights into your earning potential, ensuring you make informed financial decisions.
Last Update: 2025-07-24