California · Free comparisons

Find your California rent vs buy calculator

Choose a city, enter comparable homes, and test the cost of moving sooner or staying longer.

117 city comparisons start from 26 county datasets. Cities in the same county share reference values. These are regional housing indices, not city medians or a statewide average.

Browse all cities ↓Use my own numbers →

117 city pages. Open a location, then replace the starting values with homes you would actually rent or buy.

Start with a city

San Jose, CANewport Beach, CADowney, CA

Published by RentalCalcs · Content and usability reviewed .

Data periods and program effective dates are shown separately. Report a correction.

City calculators, grouped by their county reference

Home values use Zillow ZHVI; monthly rents use Zillow ZORI. Each has its own observation date. Open a city to adjust price, rent, financing and your time horizon.

Jump to a county (26)

Butte County

Home value · ZHVI
$398,201
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,529

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Merced County

Home value · ZHVI
$417,261
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,036

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Monterey County

Home value · ZHVI
$843,096
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,799

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Napa County

Home value · ZHVI
$871,204
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,944

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Placer County

Home value · ZHVI
$686,808
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,609

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

San Francisco County

Home value · ZHVI
$1,424,486
Monthly rent · ZORI
$4,682

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Santa Barbara County

Home value · ZHVI
$991,951
Monthly rent · ZORI
$3,200

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Shasta County

Home value · ZHVI
$370,245
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,701

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Sonoma County

Home value · ZHVI
$785,115
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,685

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Stanislaus County

Home value · ZHVI
$463,691
Monthly rent · ZORI
$2,068

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Tulare County

Home value · ZHVI
$362,367
Monthly rent · ZORI
$1,765

Source downloads: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI. These are county indices, not matched homes. Coverage and method.

Open a city comparison

Turn a regional reference into your decision

  1. 1. Compare similar homes. Match bedrooms, property type, condition and location. The home-value and rent indices cover different housing stocks; their ratio alone cannot tell you which option is better.
  2. 2. Check the property's costs. Replace the illustrative tax rate, insurance and HOA assumptions. Use the California county assessors and tax collectors to request an estimate after purchase.

    A purchase usually triggers reassessment to market value, subject to exclusions. The seller's bill may understate your costs. Ask the county for an estimate after purchase, including local charges, then enter that annual amount ÷ home price × 100.

    The supplemental assessment process can produce additional bills after a purchase. Keep cash for their timing; this model does not calculate supplemental bills or escrow adjustments.

  3. 3. Test more than one exit date. Each city calculator compares the monthly budget, cash at closing and wealth after selling costs. Try a shorter stay and less favorable growth assumptions before opening the full calculator.

Coverage and sources

These 26 counties are the starting references for the listed cities; this is not complete coverage of California. City pages include the source series, county FIPS, observation month, retrieval date and download links. Read Zillow's index definitions. Download dates do not make the underlying observations newer.

County references were checked against the California Department of Finance E-1 city/county table (2026). Check your actual address before using a county source.

There is no statewide buy-or-rent verdict here. Results depend on the properties and assumptions you enter. The comparisons are free; the full calculator also offers an optional paid report.