These Are California’s 10 Most Expensive Tourist Destinations
Written by
Nicole Spector
Edited by
Molly Sullivan
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California is one of the most popular tourist destinations. In 2024, Gov. Gavin Newsom and Visit California CEO Caroline Beteta announced that travel spending in the Golden State reached an all-time high of $150.4 billion in 2023. Could we see that number go up even higher this year? It’s looking likely. According to Tourism Economics’ May forecast, tourism spending in California is forecast to grow 0.5% and reach $158.1 billion in 2025.
That the Golden State generates tens of billions of dollars per year solely due to visiting vacationers is hardly a shocker. Have you seen how expensive it is to live in California? Second to Hawaii, it’s the most expensive U.S. state for residents. Those steep costs of living, felt by the hospitality industry, get passed on to visitors. A new study by GOBankingRates analyzed tourist cities in California to find the 10 most expensive destinations.
Key findings
- Seven of the 10 are in Southern California.
- Of the 10, Malibu has the highest annual cost of living at $295,826.
- San Francisco is the most expensive tourist destination, with an overall cost of living index of 245.5.
10. Pasadena
- Overall cost of living index: 161.7
- Household median income: $103,778
- Average single-family home value: $1,341,216
- Total cost of living annually: $123,386
- Livability: 73
9. West Hollywood
- Overall cost of living index: 161.7
- Household median income: $94,844
- Average single-family home value: $1,577,346
- Total cost of living annually: $140,366
- Livability: 70
8. Santa Monica
- Overall cost of living index: 161.7
- Household median income: $109,739
- Average single-family home value: $2,463,468
- Total cost of living annually: $202,784
- Livability: 73
7. Malibu
- Overall cost of living index: 161.7
- Household median income: $192,159
- Average single-family home value: $3,741,445
- Total cost of living annually: $295,826
- Livability: 53
6. Anaheim
- Overall cost of living index: 164.9
- Household median income: $90,583
- Average single-family home value: $968,835
- Total cost of living annually: $94,862
- Livability: 69
5. San Clemente
- Overall cost of living index: 164.9
- Household median income: $134,735
- Average single-family home value: $1,794,058
- Total cost of living annually: $154,397
- Livability: 63
4. Laguna Beach
- Overall cost of living index: 164.9
- Household median income: $140,508
- Average single-family home value: $3,062,672
- Total cost of living annually: $244,342
- Livability: 66
3. Santa Cruz
- Overall cost of living index: 186.0
- Household median income: $111,427
- Average single-family home value: $1,378,468
- Total cost of living annually: $124,817
- Livability: 74
2. San Jose
- Overall cost of living index: 231.0
- Household median income: $141,565
- Average single-family home value: $1,613,683
- Total cost of living annually: $144,374
- Livability: 79
1. San Francisco
- Overall cost of living index: 245.5
- Household median income: $141,446
- Average single-family home value: $1,412,609
- Total cost of living annually: $131,283
- Livability: 75
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed tourist cities in California to find the most expensive destinations. Tourist destinations in California were selected using Travel + Leisure’s Places to Visit in California, Travel + Leisure’s Best Beaches in California, Travel + Leisure’s Underrated California Destinations, Holdify’s Top Destinations to Visit, Samantha Brown’s Places to Visit in California, and HandLuggageOnly’s 14 Best Places to Visit in California. For each location a number of factors were found including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and household median income all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The cost of living indexes were sourced from Sperling’s BestPlaces and include the grocery, healthcare, housing, utilities, transportation and miscellaneous cost of living indexes. Using the cost of living indexes and the national average expenditure costs, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure cost for each location can be calculated. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes for each location and helps determine the quality of life in the destination. The average single-family home value was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index for May 2025. Using the average single-family home value, assuming a 10% down payment, and using the most recent national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Data, the average mortgage can be calculated. Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average total monthly and annual cost of living can be calculated. The cities were sorted by their overall cost of living index, representing places that are the most expensive. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 17, 2025.
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