City profile
Riverside, CA cost of living
CA · BLS RPP 106.4
Overall RPP
106.4
US = 100
Housing RPP
129.2
Housing component
Goods RPP
102.4
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$2,010/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Riverside, CA sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#16 of 67
+6.4 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+8.0
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#15 of 67
+404/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Riverside, CA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Riverside, CA metro.
Moved in
205,983
people · 109,915 households
Moved out
201,097
people · 109,801 households
Net
+4,886
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#21 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+4,990
median -104 people
Largest flow share
31% in / 15% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Los Angeles County, CA 64,659
- Orange County, CA 25,401
- San Diego County, CA 17,201
- Clark County, NV 3,004
- Maricopa County, AZ 2,311
Where residents moved to
- Los Angeles County, CA 30,020
- Orange County, CA 14,946
- San Diego County, CA 11,224
- Clark County, NV 6,395
- Maricopa County, AZ 5,356
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Riverside, CA?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Riverside, CA | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $53,200 | $50,000 x (106.4/100) |
| $75,000 | $79,800 | $75,000 x (106.4/100) |
| $100,000 | $106,400 | $100,000 x (106.4/100) |
| $125,000 | $133,000 | $125,000 x (106.4/100) |
| $150,000 | $159,600 | $150,000 x (106.4/100) |
| $200,000 | $212,800 | $200,000 x (106.4/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
California income tax 1%-13.3%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Riverside, CA?
- Riverside, CA has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 106.4 (US average = 100). It is 6.4% more expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Riverside, CA?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $106,400 in Riverside, CA to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Riverside, CA?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Riverside, CA is approximately $2,010 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Riverside, CA?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 205,983 people moved into the Riverside, CA metro and 201,097 moved out — a net gain of roughly 4,886 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Los Angeles County, CA.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Riverside, CA, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Riverside, CA
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