Overall
Connecticut feels cheaper overall
Connecticut has the lower cost-of-living index, beating California by 25.4 points on the overall affordability baseline.
View detailed comparison
Cost of Living Comparison
Quality of Life
California vs Connecticut: Cost of Living
Connecticut is cheaper overall by 25.4 cost-of-living points, but Connecticut has lower median home values.
California
CA • West
138.5
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Connecticut
CT • Northeast
113.1
Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
Visual Comparison
California
138.5
Connecticut
113.1
Difference: 25.4 points — Connecticut leads.
Overview
A fast-reading view of the tradeoffs behind the raw cost numbers.
Living Costs
Housing
pay about 2.1x more for a home
Connecticut has the lower median home value, while buying in California costs materially more at the median.
View detailed comparisonRent Pressure
Connecticut puts less pressure on a median paycheck
Median rent takes a smaller share of household income in Connecticut than in California, which makes monthly budgeting easier.
View detailed comparisonTaxes
Connecticut keeps more income after state tax
Connecticut has the lower top state income tax rate, which softens the total cost picture even when prices are close.
View detailed comparisonCost Stack
California
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
138.5
Regional price parity
113.4
Regular gas price
$5.929/gal
Electricity price
30.29 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,856/mo
Median home value
$693,700
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
13.30%
State sales tax
7.25%
Property tax
0.70%
Income
Median household income
$84,097
Income after median rent
$5,152
Minimum wage
$16.90/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
Connecticut
Overall Affordability
Cost of living index
113.1
Regional price parity
106.9
Regular gas price
$4.082/gal
Electricity price
28.30 c/kWh
Housing
Median gross rent
$1,419/mo
Median home value
$326,200
Owner costs with mortgage
-
Owner costs without mortgage
-
Taxes
State income tax
6.99%
State sales tax
6.35%
Property tax
1.81%
Income
Median household income
$90,213
Income after median rent
$6,099
Minimum wage
$16.94/hr
Laws
Gun laws
Restrictive
Alcohol system
License State
Marijuana status
Legal
What Stands Out
- Connecticut has lower median home values.
- Connecticut has the lower overall cost index.
- Connecticut has the higher median household income.
- Connecticut looks more attainable on home value to income ratio.
Affordability Ratios
Related Pages
What This Means
California vs Connecticut: Cost of Living in context
Connecticut has a cost of living of 113.1, compared with 138.5 in California. Composite cost of living index (100 = national average). Lower = more affordable.
California
138.5
Connecticut
113.1
Difference
25.4 points
People Also Ask
California vs Connecticut Cost of Living — Common Questions
Q What is California's cost of living?
California's cost of living is 138.5.
Q What is Connecticut's cost of living?
Connecticut's cost of living is 113.1.
Q Which state has a lower cost of living — California or Connecticut?
Connecticut is cheaper overall by 25.4 cost-of-living points, but Connecticut has lower median home values.
More Comparisons: California vs Connecticut
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Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset, with minimum wage data from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.