California
California spans surf towns, entertainment centers, redwood forests, mountain country, and some of the continent's starkest deserts.
Compare from where you live
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Overview
The state's cultural range runs from Southern California beaches and Hollywood to Bay Area counterculture and business centers. Redwood forests, the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley, Gold Country, and Napa wine country mark sharp geographic contrasts.
Cost of living
Numbeo publishes these source indexes relative to New York City.
Cost-of-living data shown for United States.
Cost of LivingPotentially less expensiveSource category: All | 2026
RentPotentially much less expensiveSource category: Rent | 2026
GroceriesPotentially less expensiveSource category: Grocery | 2026
RestaurantPotentially less expensiveSource category: Restaurant | 2026
Local Purchasing PowerStronger local purchasing powerSource category: Purchasing Power | 2026
Sources
- Numbeo Cost of Living Index
Quality of life
Quality-of-life data shown for United States.
Quality of Life IndexStrongSource category: Quality Of Life | 2026 | Overall quality of life index
Healthcare IndexGenerally favorableSource category: Healthcare | 2026 | Healthcare quality index (100 = best healthcare)
Crime IndexModerateSource category: Crime | 2026 | Crime index (100 = highest crime)
Safety IndexMixedSource category: Safety | 2026 | Safety index (100 = safest)
Pollution IndexLowSource category: Pollution | 2026 | Pollution index (100 = most polluted)
Traffic IndexHighSource category: Traffic | 2026 | Overall traffic index (considers time + inefficiency + CO2)
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