Cost of Living in Long Beach, CA: Prices, Salaries, and Affordability in 2026

Moving to Southern California means sitting down with your budget before you fall in love with a property. Long Beach sits right at the border of Los Angeles County and Orange County, with its own coastline and its own identity - and yes, its own price tag. It's not the most expensive coastal city in the region, but it's not cheap, either. Housing and transportation costs both run above national norms, and the gap between local median incomes and current home prices is real enough to deserve a hard look before you start touring open houses and considering the pros and cons of living in Long Beach, CA.

The Big Picture on Long Beach Living Costs

Depending on which data provider you use, the overall cost of living index for Long Beach lands somewhere between 135 and 162. That range means everyday expenses run roughly 35% to 62% above the national average. Housing is the biggest driver of that gap, but groceries and gas both come in above national baselines too.

Comparing the Indices

Livably calculates the city's index at 135. Areavibes reports 157. BestPlaces puts it at 161.7. The spread mostly reflects how each provider weights housing costs against everyday goods - the methodology matters more than most people realize.

What they all agree on is that you need a higher baseline income here than in most of the country. Most residents offset these premiums through higher local wages and access to the broader Los Angeles job market.

The Affordability Verdict

Whether Long Beach feels expensive really comes down to your reference point. Compared to the Midwest or the South, the prices here are a significant step up. Compared to the Westside of Los Angeles or coastal Orange County, a lot of buyers find they get more for their money per square foot.

The local market runs the full spectrum - from entry-level condos to multi-million-dollar waterfront estates. That range is genuinely useful for buyers at different income levels.

Housing Costs: Home Prices and Rent Estimates

As of May 2026, the median sale price for homes in Long Beach is approximately $852,500 - a slight year-over-year dip of about 1.6%, though it's still firmly in the upper tiers nationally. Homes are spending roughly 41 days on the market before selling. With about 740 active listings and 3.8 months of supply, buyers have some options, but well-priced properties still draw real competition.

Buying a Home in the Current Market

Nearly 44% of homes sold above their list price recently, and the average sale-to-list ratio sits just under 100%. Sellers are getting their asking price, or very close to it. Get your pre-approval sorted before you start making offers.

The $852,500 median covers a wide spectrum - smaller inland condominiums on one end, larger single-family homes closer to the water on the other. What you get for that price depends on which part of the city you're looking at.

Average Rent for Apartments

Renters will find a meaningful gap between data sources, and it's worth understanding why. RentCafe reports an average of $2,709 per month as of July 2026, up 2.44% over the previous year. Zumper puts the average closer to $2,045 per month. That difference usually comes down to whether the dataset leans on newer luxury developments or older units.

Monthly costs generally fall in the $1,700 to $2,700 range depending on the building's age and how close it is to the water.

Everyday Expenses: Utilities, Groceries, and Transportation

Estimated average monthly utility costs in Long Beach run about $456.33, based on 1,000 kWh of electricity and 5,000 gallons of water per month. Electricity makes up the bulk of that figure - EnergySage and WattBuy both place average electricity costs between $337 and $360 per month. Water averages around $44.42 separately.

Monthly Grocery and Healthcare Bills

Groceries cost more here than in most of the country. PayScale and Apartments.com data show grocery costs running about 9% to 9.2% above the national average - not shocking, but worth factoring in when you're building a monthly budget.

Healthcare sits above the national baseline as well. Livably reports a healthcare sub-index of 139, meaning medical costs run approximately 39% higher than the U.S. average. That number surprises a lot of buyers who focus entirely on housing.

Commuting and Gas Prices

California's fuel prices do most of the damage here. As of July 2026, the state's average regular gasoline price was $5.37 per gallon, ranking second-highest in the nation. Earlier in the year, statewide prices briefly spiked over $6.00 per gallon due to refinery issues.

If you're planning to commute to Los Angeles or Irvine regularly, run the numbers on fuel costs before you finalize your budget. It adds up faster than most people expect.

Property Taxes in Los Angeles County

Property tax in the Long Beach and Los Angeles County area averages approximately 0.71% of a home's assessed value, according to Livably's recent tax data analysis for the region. California taxes based on the purchase price rather than current market value, so a home bought at the $852,500 median today will carry a different tax bill than your neighbor's house purchased a decade ago - even if both are worth the same amount now.

The 0.71% baseline isn't always the full story, though. Some newer developments carry special local assessments or Mello-Roos fees that layer on top of that rate. Always confirm which fees attach to a specific property before you calculate your monthly carrying cost - the difference can be significant.

Salaries and Income: What It Takes to Live Comfortably

The median household income in Long Beach is approximately $87,430 per year, according to Census data reported by RentDataNow. Livably places the figure slightly lower at $83,969. The gap reflects different data collection methods, but both numbers give you a reasonable baseline for what local households are actually earning.

Calculating a Livable Wage

The standard 30%-of-gross-income rule for housing is useful here. To keep a median rent of $2,277 per month at or below that threshold, you'd need to earn at least $91,000 annually - roughly $44 per hour for a full-time worker. Zumper's calculation, based on its lower average rent estimate, puts the threshold a bit lower, around $82,000 per year.

Balancing Income and Homeownership

Buying at the $852,500 median requires a meaningfully higher household income than renting does. The exact number depends on your interest rate and down payment size, so work through that with a lender rather than relying on a back-of-envelope estimate.

A lot of households in Long Beach get there by pooling income between partners or by commuting to higher-paying job centers nearby. The local economy covers a range of industries - from maritime logistics at the Port of Long Beach to healthcare and education - so there's more variety in the local job base than people sometimes assume.

Why Housing Prices Are Elevated

Long Beach's prices reflect two converging pressures: coastal geography that limits available land, and a location sitting between two major employment hubs. There's simply not much room to build. That constrained supply meets steady demand from buyers who want proximity to the water without paying Santa Monica or Newport Beach prices. The result keeps the median sale price well above the national average.

Drivers of Local Demand

The city draws a wide range of buyers - access to beaches and marinas, a large public university, and a genuinely self-contained urban environment all contribute to consistent demand. The Port of Long Beach and the Port of Los Angeles together form one of the largest economic engines in the region, generating a steady base of potential buyers and renters.

Limited Inventory

With roughly 740 active listings and 3.8 months of supply, this is a seller's market. A balanced market typically runs closer to six months of supply. Until more housing gets built, competition for existing homes will stay real.

Comparing Long Beach to the Surrounding Region

Los Angeles County covers a lot of ground, and Long Beach and Los Angeles operate as distinct markets despite sharing a county line. Long Beach frequently serves as a landing point for buyers priced out of the South Bay or the Westside. A local cost of living calculator can help you figure out exactly how your current salary translates to this specific zip code.

Long Beach vs. Los Angeles

Los Angeles generally commands higher median home prices and rent averages. Buyers chasing single-family homes often find their money stretches a bit further in Long Beach, particularly in neighborhoods further inland from the coast.

The trade-off is the commute. If your job is in downtown LA or on the Westside, the drive from Long Beach can eat into your day - and what you save on housing can end up going toward gas and vehicle wear instead.

Finding More Affordable Alternatives

Buyers looking for lower price points often turn to neighboring inland cities in Los Angeles County. Areas further east or north tend to offer lower median home prices and more square footage for the money. The cost is trading the coastal climate and ocean access that define what Long Beach actually is. That's a real lifestyle change, not just a financial one.

Pros and Cons of Living in Long Beach

Long Beach offers miles of beaches, bike paths, and marinas alongside a city that functions on its own terms rather than as an appendage of Los Angeles. The combination of urban amenities and beach-town atmosphere is genuinely hard to find elsewhere in the region. The financial realities of Southern California living apply here in full, though - this isn't a discount market, and buyers should go in with clear eyes.

The Upside of Coastal Living

The water access and the moderate year-round climate are the obvious draws. Beyond that, Long Beach operates as a real city - it has its own downtown, distinct neighborhoods, and major institutions like California State University, Long Beach. You're not giving up urban infrastructure to live near the beach.

Trade-offs to Consider

The cost of housing and everyday goods is the most direct drawback. With an overall cost of living index well above the national average, utilities, groceries, and taxes all deserve a line in your budget. Traffic and parking are real friction points too, especially in denser neighborhoods near the water. If you're buying a condo or apartment, always confirm what parking comes with the unit before you make an offer.

Are you thinking about moving to Long Beach, California? In this video, we take a look at the cost of living in this beautiful Southern California city. You'll learn about everything from housing costs to taxes and food costs. So if you're curious about what it would cost to live in Long Beach, watch this video!