Where To Live on $2,500 a Month — in California
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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California is the second most expensive state in the country (Hawaii claims the No. 1 spot). The cost of living in the Golden State is 50% higher than the national average, according to RentCafe. And some Cali cities are far, far pricier than that. For example, in San Jose, the cost of living is 81% higher than the national average.
How do people get by on a less-than-six-figure salary in California? It’s all about location. You can, in fact, get by on about $30,000 a year (after taxes), or $2,500 a month in some California cities. In a new study, GOBankingRates identified the cities in California where single renters can live on a monthly budget of $2,500.
Below are the nine places where this is possible, based on average monthly costs of rent, groceries, healthcare and utilities.
9. Clearlake
- Average monthly rent: $1,433
- Average monthly groceries cost: $356.05
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $447.47
- Average monthly utilities cost: $333.49
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,570.34
8. Twentynine Palms
- Average monthly rent: $1,498
- Average monthly groceries cost: $332.61
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $334.78
- Average monthly utilities cost: $332.28
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,497.19
7. Barstow
- Average monthly rent: $1,470
- Average monthly groceries cost: $330.86
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $334.78
- Average monthly utilities cost: $347.89
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,483.20
6. Oildale
- Average monthly rent: $1,434
- Average monthly groceries cost: $345.90
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $336.25
- Average monthly utilities cost: $335.29
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,451.74
5. Ridgecrest
- Average monthly rent: $1,393
- Average monthly groceries cost: $344.15
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $340.29
- Average monthly utilities cost: $359.00
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,436.45
4. Oroville
- Average monthly rent: $1,285
- Average monthly groceries cost: $346.25
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $443.44
- Average monthly utilities cost: $332.58
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,407.00
3. Porterville
- Average monthly rent: $1,259
- Average monthly groceries cost: $344.15
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $423.25
- Average monthly utilities cost: $336.49
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,363.37
2. Coalinga
- Average monthly rent: $1,195
- Average monthly groceries cost: $342.06
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $341.75
- Average monthly utilities cost: $344.89
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,223.70
1. Taft
- Average monthly rent: $1,203
- Average monthly groceries cost: $334.36
- Average monthly healthcare cost: $336.25
- Average monthly utilities cost: $330.78
- Total monthly necessities expenditures: $2,204.28
Methodology: GOBankingRates determined the cities in California where one can live on $2,500 a month. GOBankingRates first isolated all cities in Michigan with a 2025 average monthly rent under $1,800. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each listed city, looking at grocery, utilities and healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics 2023 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”), utilities (utilities and public services) and healthcare costs to find how much one would spend on groceries, utilities and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery, utilities and healthcare costs together to find where one can live on $2,500 a month. All data was collected and is up to date as of June 23, 2025.
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