What is Fresno's cost-of-living index?

Fresno's composite cost-of-living index is about 95, meaning overall living costs run roughly 5% below the US national average of 100. Housing is notably cheaper, while groceries and transportation tend to run slightly above average.

How does the index reading of 95 work?

The index uses 100 as the US average. A reading of 95 means a typical basket of goods and services costs about 5% less in Fresno than the national average. Lower numbers mean cheaper, higher numbers mean more expensive.

Why is Fresno's housing index low but groceries higher?

Fresno housing is well below coastal California prices, pulling the housing index down. Groceries and fuel sit above the national average because of California taxes, fuel costs, and distribution factors, which raises those category indices.

How do I compare Fresno to another city?

Enter the other city's index in the comparison field. The tool scales your income by the ratio of the two indices to show the equivalent income you would need there to maintain the same standard of living.

Are these exact figures?

No. Cost-of-living indices are representative estimates drawn from typical weighted baskets. Use them for directional comparison rather than precise budgeting, and verify with current local prices.

Fresno Cost-of-Living Index

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Understand Fresno’s cost of living

Cost-of-living indices express how expensive a city is relative to the US national average, which is fixed at 100. Fresno’s composite index sits near 95, so overall living costs run about 5% below the national average. This tool shows the category breakdown and converts any income into comparable purchasing power.

How it works

The index is anchored at 100 for the US average. To convert income into average-cost dollars and to compare cities, the tool uses:

purchasing power = income * (100 / 95)
equivalent income in target city = income * (target index / 95)

A composite of 95 blends weighted categories: housing well below average, with groceries and transportation slightly above average because of California fuel and tax factors. The category list shows whether each component is above or below the national baseline.

Tips and example

A 60,000 income in Fresno carries the purchasing power of about 63,158 average-cost dollars, because Fresno is cheaper than the national average. To match that lifestyle in a city with an index of 130, you would need roughly 82,105. Treat these as directional comparisons and confirm with current local rent and grocery prices.