Cost of Living in Fresno, CA (2026)

Fresno has a cost-of-living index of 102 against a US average of 100 — about 2% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $97,888 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Fresno

Measure	Fresno	US average
Cost-of-living index	102	100
Median rent	$1,324/mo	-
Median home value	$348,500	-
Median household income	$66,804	-
Population	543,615	-

Monthly cost breakdown in Fresno

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

Category	Renting	Owning
Housing	$1,324	$2,024
Transport	$933	$933
Food	$734	$734
Healthcare	$461	$461
Other	$1,638	$1,638
Total	$5,089	$5,789

Affordability in Fresno

Median rent takes about 23.8% of the median household income in Fresno — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 5.2x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Fresno

Role	Typical salary	Worth nationally
Marketing Manager	$133,420	$130,602
Registered Nurse	$131,390	$128,614
Software Developer	$127,900	$125,198
Physical Therapist	$109,610	$107,295
Police Officer	$103,290	$101,108
Teacher	$101,980	$99,826
Mechanical Engineer	$95,030	$93,023
Dental Hygienist	$90,632	$88,717

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Fresno’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

How expensive is Fresno?

Fresno has a cost-of-living index of 102 against a US average of 100, so it is about 2% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Fresno has roughly the purchasing power of $97,888 at the national average.

What salary do you need to live comfortably in Fresno?

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Fresno's median rent of $1,324/month that implies about $52,960 a year before tax. The median household in Fresno earns $66,804.

How much does it cost to live in Fresno per month?

Renting, a single household spends roughly $5,089 a month in Fresno across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $5,789 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

Can you afford a home in Fresno?

The median home in Fresno costs $348,500, which is 5.2x the median household income of $66,804. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Fresno is expensive relative to local incomes.