COST OF LIVING IN TEMECULA IN 2023

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Recent Blog

Cost of living in Temecula in 2023

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 about the cost of living in Temecula in 2022. Hopefully, this answers 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 Southern California. It’s clean, and safe has plenty of amenities, great weather, and beautiful wineries, and is close to the beach, mountains, and airports. You really couldn’t ask for a better location.

Housing

Purchasing a Home

Housing is going to be the biggest expense in regard to the cost of living in Temecula in 2023, depending on where you are coming from in the United States. Home prices are going to average around $700,000 in Temecula. By 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 $650,000–750,000, you’ll get around 2000–2500 square feet of living space, 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 and 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 construction. 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; this is just an average to give you an idea of what you can expect to pay. On a $600,000 home, that can be anywhere from $5,500 to $10,000 a year.

Rentals

If you’re looking to rent, a 2,000-square-foot home is going to cost anywhere from $3,000 a month to $3,300 a month. Be aware that landlords’ qualifications are becoming increasingly stringent. You will need credit checks and income verification, and many do not take animals or pets. Over the past few years, we have joked that it’s almost as hard to rent a property as to buy one.

Electricity, water, TV, trash, and internet

The one thing that bugs us and is going to be the most expensive is going to be your TV and internet. That will get you a basic TV package and internet for 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 vehicles

This is another expense that is going to be higher than in most parts of the country. One of the things Temecula does have is a Costco gas station. Most home developments have to be reached by driving by or near Costco to get to the freeway. I’ve noticed that Costco gas is about $0.50 per gallon less expensive than most other gas stations in the area. If you take the time and fill up your car at Costco, it will save you hundreds of dollars over the course of the year. I don’t really like giving gas prices as they fluctuate weekly, but if I were 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 to eat healthily, so fruits and vegetables, salmon, and chicken (both from Costco) are staple foods for us and usually cost no more than $70–$90 a week for two people. If you were to really budget, you could probably get away with feeding two people for around $150 a week.

Restaurants

The sheer number of restaurants in competition is one of the best things about Southern California.cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval cheval chevalWhat is a happy hour? It is something that we do every week to break up the monotony of cooking dinner.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 costs 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 are going to be a little more expensive. It is a fun area for a Friday or 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 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, a family of three or four can 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 of wineries, and go out to eat once a week for date night.

Total Couple Living in Temecula

If you were a younger couple and were okay with a condo or townhome, you could probably find something for around $1,600–$2,000 a month. Your total spending 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 enjoy the beautiful weather, a community pool with BBQs, and a safe, quiet neighborhood. We get over 300 days of sun a year, and it’s nice to wake up most mornings and be able to go for a walk in the park and see the sun. There are tons of benefits to living in Temecula, and if you’re willing to pay a little extra, you’re going to love your life and 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 are interested 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 and certified residential appraisers. We love what we do and will bring a great deal of passion, experience, and expertise to the table for you.

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