Cost of Living In Temecula in 2020

Since starting our YouTube channel Exploring Temecula and this website, I constantly get calls from people from all over the United States asking me questions about Temecula, California. I thought one of the most important blog posts and videos I could do would be the cost of living in Temecula in 2020. Hopefully this answer some questions on whether or not Temecula will be  the right fit for you. One thing I can guarantee is that Temecula California is  overall our favorite place we have ever lived in in Southern California. It’s clean, safe, plenty of amenities, great weather, beautiful wineries, close to the beach and mountains and airports. You really couldn’t ask for a better location.

Housing

Purchasing a Home

Housing for many is going to be the biggest expense in regards to the cost of living in Temecula in 2020 depending on where you are coming from in the United States. Home prices are going to average around $550,000 in Temecula. In Southern California standards, this is very inexpensive but many parts of the midwest are not going to have home prices close to this amount. 

If you would like to get an idea of what is for sale in Temecula I have a free home search at the end of this blog post. 

At $550,000, you will get a home around 2000-2800 sq ft depending on other luxuries  and upgrades.  The one great thing about Temecula is the neighborhoods within the city. Unlike many other cities throughout Southern California, Temecula does not really have a bad area.  99% of neighborhoods in Temecula have residents that take pride in their properties, are very clean, safe and quiet.

House Taxes

Throughout Southern California base home taxes are going to be anywhere from 1.1 to 1.3%.  Taxes will be higher with new home builds. New home builds are going to have Mello-Roos or special assessments that can add up to 1.7%-2.2%. This is not the case for every single new home build, just an average to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay. On a $500,000 home, that can be anywhere from $5,500- $10,000 a year.

Rentals

If you’re looking to rent, a 2000 sq ft home is going to cost anywhere from $2,200 a month to $2,600 a month. Be aware,  owners of rental properties have become increasingly stringent on qualifications. You will need  credit checks, income verification and many do not take animals or pets. We have joked over the past few years that it’s almost as hard to rent a property then to buy.

Electric,water,TV, trash and internet

The one thing that bugs us and is going to be most expensive is going to be your TV and internet. That will run for a basic TV package and internet around $120 a month.  depending on the size of the home  and how much you run your air conditioner your electricity bill can be pretty steep in the summer months. A $200- $400 bill from June to August is not unheard of. These are just averages,  and it will obviously depend on the size of your home and how much you use the air conditioning. I would say on average, our bills  per month run between $300 and $400. 

Gas For Vehicle

This is another expense that is going to be higher than most parts of the country. One of the  Temecula does have is a Costco gas station. Most home developments have to drive by or near Costco to get to the freeway.  I have noticed Costco gas is going to be around $0.50 per gallon cheaper than most other gas stations around. If you take the time and fill your car up at Costco, over the year it will save you hundreds of dollars. I don’t really like giving gas prices as they fluctuate weekly but if I was to guess, on average, gas is going to be two to three times more expensive than most areas in the United States.

Groceries

Surprisingly, food is relatively inexpensive. Where we live in Temecula we have plenty of grocery stores within a 5-minute drive. Just to give a few examples, if you are looking for two people to eat produce for the week you will not have to spend over $30 at a place like Sprouts Market. If you’re a wine drinker, there are plenty of stores like Trader Joe’s where you can get bottles of wine for $5 to $6. We try and eat healthy so fruits and vegetables,salmon and chicken (Costco), are staple foods for us and usually cost no more than $50-$60 a week for two people. If you were to really budget, you could probably get away with feeding two people for around $100 a week.

Restaurants

The one great thing  about Southern California is the sheer amount of restaurants in competition. For the most part, if you’re not really good you won’t survive. One of the things that we routinely do every week  to break up making dinner is what a happy hour. We can usually go to happy hour, have a drink or two and a few appetizers for around $50. There are plenty of places throughout  Temecula that have great happy hours  Depending on what type of food you are looking for. 

One of our favorites is Yard House in the Temecula Mall. Their food is great and only cost around $6 per plate during happy hour. They even have wine Wednesdays which have half off bottles of wine. It’s a great place to break up the week, go out, have some fun and not spend a lot of money.

If you decide to head down to Old Town, restaurants in that area or going to be a little more expensive. It is a fun  area for a Friday and Saturday night but you can expect to pay anywhere from 60 to $100 for two people to have a meal and a few drinks. If you’re just looking for drinks, one of our favorites is Luke’s on front. This place has great views. Although we do enjoy going to Luke’s often, there are many other restaurants and bars that we enjoy along the Old Town strip. 

Family of 3-4 Living In Temecula Total

In total, for a family of three or four expect to pay anywhere from $4,000 to $6,000 a month to have a comfortable, nice life. If you are up around the $6,000 range she will be able to do some wine tastings, join a couple Wineries and go out to eat once a week for date night

Couple Living In Temecula Total

If you were a younger couple and are okay with a condo or townhome you can probably find something for around $1,600-$2,000  a month. Your total spend for the month could be around $4,000  if you budget your money well.

In closing, you also have to remember where you are living and what your expectations are. Personally, I’d rather spend an extra $1,000 a month and how beautiful weather, community pool with BBQs, in a safe quiet neighborhood. We get sun over 300 days a year and it is definitely nice to wake up most mornings being able to go for a walk in the park and see the sunshine. There are tons of benefits about living in Temecula, if you’re willing to pay a little extra you’re going to love your life and will be living in one of the best places in all of America. If you have concerns or questions you can always call us or read through many of our other blog posts. We try and explain different communities, wineries,  things to do and an overall view of what Temecula is really like.

 If you have a  strong work ethic Southern California is an amazing place and provides a great deal of opportunity. Having 10 million people within a hundred miles of you is a great advantage and if you stay consistent and work hard you will have a wonderful life and make good money.

Thank you for reading our blog, if you have any interest in moving to Temecula or the surrounding area please read the  Google Reviews here for Greenleaf Real Estate & Appraisal.

We are licensed as both Real Estate Brokers & a Certified Residential Appraiser. We love what we do and will bring a great deal of passion, experience and expertise to the table for you.