Cost of Living in Portola Valley, CA 2025
82%
|
Higher Than National Avg.
95%
|
Higher Than State Avg.
Portola Valley's 2025 cost of living is $4504 per month for singles and $9918 per month for families of four.
Living costs in Portola Valley are 82% higher than the U.S. national average and 95% higher than California's state average.
This reflects a 3% increase from 2024.
The primary drivers of Portola Valley's cost of living are soaring housing costs, elevated transportation expenses, and rising food prices.
See how Portola Valley'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 Portola Valley's cost of living compare to the national average in 2025?
Living in Portola Valley is more expensive than the national average,
with housing costs 53.0 % higher at $1835
per month for a single person and $3365 per month for a family of four.
Food expenses run 3.7 %
above average at $415
monthly for an individual and $1348 for a family,
while energy, transportation and healthcare costs are 10.6 % higher at about $968 per month
for one person and $2113 for a household.
These costs bring the total monthly expenses to $3218
for a single person and $6826 for a family of four,
making Portola Valley one of America's most expensive cities.
| Expense Category | Average Monthly Expense Single Person | Average Monthly Expense Family of Four | Portola Valley compare to: U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
|
1835 | 3365 |
|
|
415 | 1348 |
|
|
254 | 435 |
|
|
417 | 886 |
|
|
297 | 792 |
|
How does the cost of living compare when moving from other major cities to Portola Valley?
Portola Valley's 2025 cost of living is 4% lower than San Francisco,
21% more than Washington, 36% above Miami
, 38% higher than Chicago, 16% more than Boston
, and 4% above New York.
Essential for evaluating relocation costs and salary needs in Portola Valley.
| Move From | Move To | Cost of Living Comparison |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco, CA | Portola Valley |
|
| Washington, DC | Portola Valley |
|
| Miami, FL | Portola Valley |
|
| Chicago, IL | Portola Valley |
|
| Boston, MA | Portola Valley |
|
| New York, NY | Portola Valley |
|
| Dallas, TX | Portola Valley |
|
About Portola Valley, CA
Portola Valley is an incorporated town in San Mateo County, California, United States, which was founded in 1964. It is the wealthiest town in America per the American Community Survey, based on per-capita income for communities larger than 4,000. Home prices are also among the highest in the nation.
Portola Valley is located on the San Francisco Peninsula on the eastern slope of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The town is west of Interstate 280 and the southwest boundary is along Skyline Boulevard which more or less is the ridge of the mountains. The Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is a large par...
Source: Wikipedia (as of 04/11/2019). Read more from Wikipedia
Comments about the cost of living in Portola Valley, 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
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.
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