Stockton, California
Living in Stockton, California is about 8% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 108 (US = 100). Typical rent is $2,431 a month, 26% above 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 52% of the area's $88,531 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$5.71
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$2,431
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$15.00
Combo meal
Electricity
29.75¢
per kWh · ~$268/mo
Car Insurance
$234/mo
$2,810/yr
Median Household Income
$88,531
51.7% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,810 in Stockton. Compare rates:
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $2,431/mo in Stockton. 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
$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $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 | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$15.00
Casual Dining
$48.13
Monthly Spend
$540
+6.2% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.99
$14.50
+61.3%Wendy's
2022: $9.99
$15.50
+55.2%Chipotle
2022: $10.99
$16.50
+50.1%Starbucks
2022: $5.50
$12.00
+118.2%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Stockton?
Average 1BR: $1,993/mo · 2BR: $2,869/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
288k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,217
$63k/yr
Top Sector
Trade, Transportation & Utilities
Household vs Worker Pay
$89k
household median
Employment by Sector — Stockton
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$62k/yr
~$60k/yr
~$29k/yr
~$74k/yr
~$62k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 06077
Highest Paying Sector
Public Administration
$1,805/wk · $94k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$554/wk · $29k/yr
Stockton Cost of Living FAQ
Is Stockton, CA expensive to live in?
Stockton has a cost of living index of 108, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 8% more expensive than average. It is the 3rd most affordable of the 30 California cities we track.
What is the average rent in Stockton, CA?
Typical rent in Stockton is $2,431 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 26% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $1,993 and two bedrooms about $2,869. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Stockton?
Rent in Stockton rose 1.9% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Stockton?
Regular unleaded costs about $5.71 a gallon in Stockton 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 Stockton?
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 Stockton is about $268.
How much is car insurance in Stockton?
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 Stockton?
Median household income in the Stockton area is $88,531 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $45,734 a year, or 52% 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 Stockton compare with the rest of California?
Rent in Stockton is about the same as the $2,424 average across the 30 California cities we track, and its cost of living index of 108 compares with a state average of 137.
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