Lakewood, CA vs Chino Hills, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Chino Hills, CA has a modeled overall cost index 15.1% higher than Lakewood, CA.

Lakewood, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,220 / month
Chino Hills, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,300 / 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 Lakewood, CA and Chino Hills, 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 Lakewood, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $769/month in Chino Hills, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $159,222 in Chino Hills, CA

Regional cost estimates: Lakewood, CA uses Long Beach, CA. Chino Hills, CA uses Santa Ana, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 15.1%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$769

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$9.2K

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.

Lakewood, CA

Population:78K

Cost Index:

129.8

100 = national average

Typical Home:$852K

Chino Hills, CA

Population:77K

Cost Index:

149.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$966K

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Lakewood, CA

The Golden State

78K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 78K residents.

Chino Hills, CA

The Golden State

77K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 77K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Lakewood, CA vs Chino Hills, 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	Lakewood, CA	Chino Hills, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,159/mo	$3,896/mo	↑ $737more	23.3%
Transportation	$1,543/mo	$1,556/mo	↑ $13.82more	0.9%
Other	$1,232/mo	$1,243/mo	↑ $11.04more	0.9%
Groceries	$758/mo	$761/mo	↑ $3.39more	0.4%
All Utilities	$406/mo	$408/mo	↑ $1.82more	0.4%
Healthcare	$402/mo	$404/mo	↑ $1.80more	0.4%

Housing

↑ 23.3%

Lakewood, CA

$3,159

Chino Hills, CA

$3,896

Difference

$737

Transportation

↑ 0.9%

Lakewood, CA

$1,543

Chino Hills, CA

$1,556

Difference

$13.82

Other

↑ 0.9%

Lakewood, CA

$1,232

Chino Hills, CA

$1,243

Difference

$11.04

Groceries

↑ 0.4%

Lakewood, CA

$758

Chino Hills, CA

$761

Difference

$3.39

All Utilities

↑ 0.4%

Lakewood, CA

$406

Chino Hills, CA

$408

Difference

$1.82

Healthcare

↑ 0.4%

Lakewood, CA

$402

Chino Hills, CA

$404

Difference

$1.80

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,310

To$2,540

↑ $230

1 Bed

From$2,580

To$2,660

↑ $80.00

2 Bed

From$3,220

To$3,300

↑ $80.00

3 Bed

From$4,080

To$4,370

↑ $290

Lakewood, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,370–$2,840/mo

Chino Hills, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,660–$2,660/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 Lakewood, CA

$8,269

Monthly in Chino Hills, CA

$769

Difference

Home Values

Lakewood

Chino Hills

$852K

Median Value

$966K

↓ -0.9%

YoY Change

↑ +0.7%

↑ +27.8%

5-Year Change

↑ +42.4%

$802K - $884K

Price Range

$966K

Homes in Chino Hills are 13% more expensive than Lakewood

Calculate payment - Lakewood Calculate payment - Chino Hills

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

Lakewood, 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

Chino Hills, 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

Lakewood, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Chino Hills, 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

Lakewood

Chino Hills

80 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

10.4%

Good Air Days

32.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌅

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

5 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

▲+2.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.6°F

5 days

Heat Days >95°F

12 days

Before moving from Lakewood, CA to Chino Hills, CA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Chino Hills, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Lakewood, 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 Lakewood to Chino Hills moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: Lakewood, CA vs Chino Hills, CA

How do the cost estimates for Lakewood, CA and Chino Hills, CA compare?

Chino Hills, CA has a modeled overall cost index 15.1% higher than Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, CA, the model estimates $159,222 in Chino Hills, 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 Lakewood, CA and Chino Hills, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,220/month in Lakewood, CA and $3,300/month in Chino Hills, 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.