Cost of Living in Fresno, CA
Fresno, CA — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Fresno, CA to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Fresno, CA?
With a price level of 102.2 (U.S. average = 100), Fresno, CA is close to the national average. In detail, housing costs are 4% below average; everyday goods run 5% above average; utilities run 61% above average; other services such as healthcare and dining cost about the same as the national average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Fresno, CA vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 102.2 | +2.2% |
| Housing | 95.7 | −4.3% |
| Goods | 105.2 | +5.2% |
| Utilities | 161.0 | +61.0% |
| Other services | 100.3 | +0.3% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Fresno, CA
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,308 | $52,320/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,315 | $52,600/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,625 | $65,000/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,260 | $90,400/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,608 | $104,320/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Fresno, CA
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Fresno, CA | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $40,900 | $33,886 |
| $60,000 | $61,300 | $48,910 |
| $80,000 | $81,700 | $61,875 |
| $100,000 | $102,200 | $74,124 |
| $150,000 | $153,200 | $103,969 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, California 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Fresno, CA's median wage of $46,910 takes home about $3,200 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,315, which is 41% of take-home pay — well above the 30% guideline, so many workers here share housing or rent smaller units. That leaves about $1,885 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Fresno, CA
- Federal income tax$3,449
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,908
- Medicare (1.45%)$680
- California income tax$866
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$610
- Take-home pay$38,397
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Fresno, CA
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in California cities
Half of California’s 18,213,700 workers earn less than $58,240 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $41,600–$97,880 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: San Jose, CA stretches a paycheck furthest, while Salinas, CA is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $55,850 | 113.6 | $2,245 | 60% | $1,499 | $39,562 |
| San Francisco, CA | $74,260 | 115.6 | $2,620 | 55% | $2,161 | $49,629 |
| Riverside, CA | $48,400 | 106.4 | $1,777 | 54% | $1,514 | $37,097 |
| San Diego, CA | $58,690 | 111.9 | $2,459 | 63% | $1,458 | $42,010 |
| San Jose, CA | $84,050 | 110.4 | $2,957 | 56% | $2,316 | $57,306 |
| Sacramento, CA | $59,750 | 106.7 | $1,812 | 46% | $2,169 | $44,790 |
| Fresno, CA | $46,910 | 102.2 | $1,315 | 41% | $1,885 | $37,586 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $47,470 | 100.9 | $1,140 | 35% | $2,094 | $38,467 |
| Oxnard, CA | $52,510 | 110.5 | $2,250 | 64% | $1,291 | $38,440 |
| Stockton, CA | $48,990 | 105.1 | $1,395 | 42% | $1,931 | $37,985 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $56,850 | 107.8 | $2,155 | 57% | $1,650 | $42,362 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $51,690 | 108.8 | $2,746 | 79% | $745 | $38,503 |
| Modesto, CA | $50,610 | 104.1 | $1,356 | 40% | $2,069 | $39,479 |
| Salinas, CA | $47,380 | 109.0 | $2,232 | 69% | $996 | $35,529 |
| Visalia, CA | $45,130 | 99.8 | $1,123 | 36% | $1,965 | $37,126 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Fresno, CA vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresno, CA | 102.2 | $1,315 | $46,910 | 476,890 |
| Rochester, NY | 97.0 | $1,256 | $51,210 | 494,280 |
| Tulsa, OK | 89.2 | $976 | $46,670 | 458,730 |
| Omaha, NE | 91.9 | $1,144 | $49,660 | 498,100 |
| Albany, NY | 99.6 | $1,417 | $58,460 | 449,410 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 111.0 | $2,016 | $57,220 | 446,380 |
| New Orleans, LA | 92.6 | $1,105 | $47,290 | 445,550 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Fresno, CA expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Fresno, CA metro area are 102.2% of the U.S. average, with housing at 95.7%. It is the #56 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Fresno, CA?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $61,295 in Fresno, CA (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $46,910.
Can you afford Fresno, CA on the median wage?
A single worker on the $46,910 median wage takes home about $3,200 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,315 would take 41% of that.
How much is rent in Fresno, CA?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Fresno, CA are $1,308 for a studio, $1,315 for one bedroom, $1,625 for two bedrooms and $2,260 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Fresno, CA
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $101,010
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Accountant and Auditor — $78,690
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $76,770
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $100,750
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $78,800
- Substitute Teachers, Short-Term — $54,890
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $45,340
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $125,420
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $75,580
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Medical Assistant — $46,500
- Nursing Assistant — $44,710
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $34,320
Protective Service Occupations
- Correctional Officer and Jailer — $94,010
- Security Guard — $37,180
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $44,730
- Cooks, Fast Food — $39,620
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $39,480
- Cooks, Restaurant — $38,260
- Waiter and Waitress — $34,320
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $40,710
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $37,980
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $73,970
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $50,790
- Retail Salesperson — $36,460
- Cashier — $35,270
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $71,820
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs — $59,300
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $54,170
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive — $50,100
- Medical Secretary and Administrative Assistant — $48,120
- Office Clerks, General — $46,070
- Customer Service Representative — $46,070
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- Construction Laborer — $55,120
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $51,450
Production Occupations
- Slaughterer and Meat Packer — $39,420
- Packaging and Filling Machine Operator and Tender — $38,440
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $55,740
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $43,360
- Light Truck Driver — $43,170
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $39,310
- Stocker and Order Filler — $39,130
- Packers and Packagers, Hand — $35,060