What is the Real Cost of Living in San Juan Capistrano?

Located about halfway between San Diego and Los Angeles, San Juan Capistrano is a small coastal town in Orange County. Dating back to the founding of Mission San Juan Capistrano in 1776, the city is filled with history. Additionally, the area boasts plenty of shops and restaurants that attract visitors from miles around. Spend a day in San Juan Capistrano and you’ll get a glimpse into the laid-back California lifestyle locals enjoy on a daily basis.

Fortunately, you don’t have to settle with just visiting San Juan Capistrano. Relocating to the area is a viable option and more affordable than ever. Still, there are other costs to consider before relocating to a new area. The cost of living, which includes the price of utilities, food, transportation, and more, is an important factor to consider when determining if an area aligns with your budget.

Here is the true cost of living in San Juan Capistrano.

Typically, housing is your biggest monthly cost to consider when determining whether you can afford to live in an area or not. Therefore, it is important to learn the average home price in the area in which you are thinking of relocating.

In San Juan Capistrano, the median home price is around $718K, which comes out to about $548 per square foot. Considering these numbers, the cost of living index for housing in this California city is about 248.2 percent of the national average, making it one of the most expensive cities in the entire nation. Additionally, rent in this part of the state is also fairly high, sitting at around $2,326 per month, when compared to the national average rent amount of $1,995 per month.

When figuring out the real cost of living in San Juan Capistrano, it’s also important to factor in the price of food. Since data supplied by the U.S. Department of Agriculture clearly shows that the price of food varies between cities, you need to analyze the numbers from the specific city you’re moving to.

In San Juan Capistrano, single adults typically spend an average of around $3,500 on food each year, whereas a family of four usually spends around $10,100 on food annually. For context, compare these numbers to the average annual food costs throughout the rest of California and the country, which are between $3,200 to $3,450 for single adults and $9,350 to $10,000 for families of four members. When comparing these numbers, the data shows that residents of San Juan Capistrano typically spend more annually on food than in other parts of the nation.

Due to the warmer climate and need for air conditioning, the price of utilities in San Juan Capistrano is typically higher than the national average. San Juan Capistrano has a utilities cost of living score of 116, meaning the city rates 16 percent higher than the rest of the country in terms of utility costs. This means residents can expect to pay more for everyday expenses such as gas, electricity, and water.

Transportation is another factor that influences the cost of living in any given city. Because around 87.8 percent of residents in San Juan Capistrano drive to work, they will likely have to spend a decent amount of money on transportation. For comparison, the national average for commuters in other cities is around 85.5 percent. Going even further, of those daily commuters in San Juan Capistrano, an estimated 70 percent commute to jobs that are outside of the city. Once again, this percentage is higher than the national average of 43.7 percent of people who live and work in different cities. San Juan Capistrano residents, on average, commute about 24 minutes to work daily. Therefore, taking that into consideration, as well as the current price of gas and public transit, the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), estimates that individuals in this California city spend around $10,110 per year on transportation, which is slightly higher than the national average of $9,760 annually.

The average salary of any given location can tell you a lot about the cost of living there. In San Juan Capistrano, the median annual salary for residents is around $112K per household and $44K per individual. Given these numbers, the average household income is about 33 percent higher than other cities in the state of California. Additionally, individuals typically make about 5 percent more annually than residents in nearby cities.

Notch Luxury Properties is a team of real estate agents with years of experience helping people relocate to San Juan Capistrano. Using their knowledge of the area, the team knows what it takes to secure great deals on properties in the area. If you’ve determined the cost of living in San Juan Capistrano aligns with your budget and you want to start touring houses, then contact the Notch Luxury Properties team today.