El Centro, California
Living in El Centro, California is about 45% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 145 (US = 100). Typical rent is $1,803 a month, 7% below the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $5.71 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 39% of the area's $97,064 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$5.71
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$1,803
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$18.49
Combo meal
Electricity
29.75¢
per kWh · ~$268/mo
Car Insurance
$234/mo
$2,810/yr
Median Household Income
$97,064
39.4% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,810 in El Centro. Compare rates:
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Avg rent $1,803/mo in El Centro. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$4.79 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
$6.66 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
$3.69 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
$1.67 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
$3.75 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
$8.69 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
$7.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
$1.50 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
$4.00 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
$1.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
$3.00 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
$6.79 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
$5.00 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
$4.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026)
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb)$6.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$4.79 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$3.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$4.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb)$6.66 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb)$3.69 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb)$1.67 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb)$3.75 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz)$8.69 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate$7.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb)$1.50 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate$4.00 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb)$1.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate$3.00 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate$6.79 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate$5.00 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate$4.99 @ Food 4 Less - El Centro (Nov 2026) | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$18.49
Casual Dining
$32.43
Monthly Spend
$541.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in El Centro?
Average 1BR: $1,478/mo · 2BR: $2,128/mo
El Centro Cost of Living FAQ
Is El Centro, CA expensive to live in?
El Centro has a cost of living index of 145, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 45% more expensive than average. It is the 9th most expensive of the 30 California cities we track.
What is the average rent in El Centro, CA?
Typical rent in El Centro is $1,803 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 7% below the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,478 and two bedrooms about $2,128. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in El Centro?
Rent in El Centro rose 6.2% over the past year, faster than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in El Centro?
Regular unleaded costs about $5.71 a gallon in El Centro as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for California. That is 44% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in El Centro?
Homes in California pay an average of 29.8 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in El Centro is about $268.
How much is car insurance in El Centro?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,810 a year in California, or about $234 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in El Centro?
Median household income in the El Centro area is $97,064 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $38,198 a year, or 39% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does El Centro compare with the rest of California?
Rent in El Centro is 26% below the $2,424 average across the 30 California cities we track, and its cost of living index of 145 compares with a state average of 137.
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