Costa Mesa, CA

Salary intelligence, cost of living, and affordability data

All 718 jobs →

Avg Salary

$76,105

across all roles

Cost Index

139

Expensive

Avg Rent

$2,380/mo

1-bed apartment

Affordability

4/10

Low Affordability

How affordable is Costa Mesa?

4/10

Low Affordability

Purchasing power score: 1.24× (take-home ÷ living costs)

With a cost of living index of 139 (US avg = 100) and average disposable income of $905/mo, Costa Mesa is a high-cost market — salaries need to be competitive to maintain a comfortable lifestyle.

Cost of Living Benchmarks

Cost Index

139

US avg = 100

Est. Monthly Rent

$2,380

1-bed, city avg

Avg Disposable

$905

after taxes + living costs

Median Salary

$65,740

across all tracked roles

Purchasing Power

1.24×

take-home ÷ costs

Jobs Tracked

718

job titles with data

Highest-Paying Jobs in Costa Mesa

By gross annual salary

1.Obstetricians And Gynecologists
$235,930
2.Chief Executives
$231,500
3.Lawyers
$205,900
4.Podiatrists
$193,510
5.Computer And Information Systems Managers
$191,410
6.Nurse Midwives
$190,230
7.Architectural And Engineering Managers
$181,400
8.Family Medicine Physicians
$179,990
9.Commercial Pilots
$177,300
10.Dentists
$176,200

Best Jobs for Disposable Income

After taxes and living costs

1.Obstetricians And Gynecologists
$10,627/mo
2.Chief Executives
$10,358/mo
3.Lawyers
$8,801/mo
4.Podiatrists
$8,047/mo
5.Computer And Information Systems Managers
$7,919/mo
6.Nurse Midwives
$7,847/mo
7.Architectural And Engineering Managers
$7,310/mo
8.Family Medicine Physicians
$7,224/mo
9.Commercial Pilots
$7,061/mo
10.Dentists
$6,994/mo

Jobs With Tightest Budgets in Costa Mesa

These roles leave the least disposable income after living costs — worth knowing before accepting an offer.

Archivists

$2/mo left

$61,270/yr gross

Locksmiths And Safe Repairers

$5/mo left

$61,310/yr gross

Separating

$19/mo left

$61,550/yr gross

Eligibility Interviewers

$27/mo left

$61,680/yr gross

Firstline Supervisors Of Transportation And Material Moving Workers

$32/mo left

$61,760/yr gross

Explore Costa Mesa Further

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All data derived from BLS OEWS metro data and regional cost-of-living indices. Figures are estimates; verify with local sources before making decisions.