CostIndexUSA

El Paso, TX vs San Bernardino, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableTX
El Paso
89.9
overall index
$1,500/mo rent
CA
San Bernardino
106.4
overall index
$2,475/mo rent

El Paso is significantly cheaper than San Bernardino — 18.4% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in El Paso, you would need $94,700 in San Bernardino. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing+81.6%
El Paso
71.2
San Bernardino
129.3
🛒 Groceries+8.1%
El Paso
93.8
San Bernardino
101.4
🚗 Transportation+5.1%
El Paso
101.1
San Bernardino
106.3
🏥 Healthcare+5.3%
El Paso
91.4
San Bernardino
96.2
Utilities+79.9%
El Paso
82.6
San Bernardino
148.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in El Paso to see what you'd need to earn in San Bernardino to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in San Bernardino, CA
$94,700
$14,700 more needed in San Bernardino

Formula: salary × (106.4 ÷ 89.9) = salary × 1.1835. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

El Paso, TX

Median Home Price
$226,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,500
Housing Index
71.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.6×

San Bernardino, CA

Median Home Price
$576,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,475
Housing Index
129.3
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.4×

San Bernardino has 81.6% higher housing costs compared to El Paso.

Income & Job Market

El Paso, TX

Median Household Income
$59,000
Per Capita Income
$33,600
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
Population
678,815
Top Industries
GovernmentMilitaryHealthcareRetailManufacturing

San Bernardino, CA

Median Household Income
$87,800
Per Capita Income
$50,000
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
222,101
Top Industries
HealthcareLogisticsGovernmentRetailManufacturing

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

El Paso, TX
3.3×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

San Bernardino, CA
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

66% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.