Daly City, CA vs Mission Viejo, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Mission Viejo, CA has a modeled overall cost index 10.3% higher than Daly City, CA.

Daly City, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,750 / month
Mission Viejo, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,530 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Daly City, CA and Mission Viejo, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Daly City, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $214/month in Mission Viejo, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,568 in Mission Viejo, CA

Regional cost estimates: Daly City, CA uses Oakland, CA. Mission Viejo, CA uses Irvine, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 10.3%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$214

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$2.6K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Daly City, CA

Population:100K

Cost Index:

159.7

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.13M

Mission Viejo, CA

Population:91K

Cost Index:

176.2

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.18M

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Daly City, CA

The Golden State

100K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 100K residents.

Mission Viejo, CA

The Golden State

91K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 91K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Daly City, CA vs Mission Viejo, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Daly City, CA	Mission Viejo, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,687/mo	$4,074/mo	↑ $387more	10.5%
Healthcare	$429/mo	$336/mo	↓ $93.04less	21.7%
Other	$1,120/mo	$1,036/mo	↓ $83.91less	7.5%
Groceries	$704/mo	$633/mo	↓ $70.93less	10.1%
All Utilities	$272/mo	$339/mo	↑ $67.33more	24.8%
Transportation	$1,289/mo	$1,296/mo	↑ $7.59more	0.6%

Housing

↑ 10.5%

Daly City, CA

$3,687

Mission Viejo, CA

$4,074

Difference

$387

Healthcare

↓ 21.7%

Daly City, CA

$429

Mission Viejo, CA

$336

Difference

$93.04

less

Other

↓ 7.5%

Daly City, CA

$1,120

Mission Viejo, CA

$1,036

Difference

$83.91

less

Groceries

↓ 10.1%

Daly City, CA

$704

Mission Viejo, CA

$633

Difference

$70.93

less

All Utilities

↑ 24.8%

Daly City, CA

$272

Mission Viejo, CA

$339

Difference

$67.33

Transportation

↑ 0.6%

Daly City, CA

$1,289

Mission Viejo, CA

$1,296

Difference

$7.59

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,590

To$2,930

↑ $340

1 Bed

From$3,100

To$3,000

↓ $100

2 Bed

From$3,750

To$3,530

↓ $220

3 Bed

From$4,790

To$4,790

→ $0

Daly City, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $3,100–$3,100/mo

Mission Viejo, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,860–$3,250/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Daly City, CA

$7,714

Monthly in Mission Viejo, CA

$214

Difference

Home Values

Daly City

Mission Viejo

$1.13M

Median Value

$1.18M

↓ -2.7%

YoY Change

↓ -1.7%

↑ +3.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +53%

$1.13M

Price Range

$1.17M - $1.29M

Homes in Mission Viejo are 5% more expensive than Daly City

Calculate payment - Daly City Calculate payment - Mission Viejo

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Daly City, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Mission Viejo, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Daly City, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Mission Viejo, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Daly City

Mission Viejo

49 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

53%

Good Air Days

32.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌅

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

Before moving from Daly City, CA to Mission Viejo, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Mission Viejo, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Daly City, CA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Daly City to Mission Viejo moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Mission Viejo, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Daly City, CA vs Mission Viejo, CA

How do the cost estimates for Daly City, CA and Mission Viejo, CA compare?

Mission Viejo, CA has a modeled overall cost index 10.3% higher than Daly City, CA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Daly City, CA, the model estimates $152,568 in Mission Viejo, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Daly City, CA and Mission Viejo, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,750/month in Daly City, CA and $3,530/month in Mission Viejo, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.