Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Berkeley, California
A $1,351,000 home here costs
$9,481per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $6,946. The real number is $2,535 higher every month — 37% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Berkeley against Alameda County and California
| Measure | Berkeley | Alameda County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,351,100 | $1,057,400 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $8,061 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.740% | 0.762% |
| Median gross rent | $2,127 | $2,318 |
| Population | 120,223 | 1,651,949 |
The weather behind that power bill
Berkeley sits in Alameda County, which averages a high of 87.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 37.5°F in its coldest, with 15.18" of precipitation a year and 56% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 847 cooling and 2,709 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Alameda County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Alameda County
Full Alameda County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Berkeley?
A $1,351,000 home in Berkeley, California costs approximately $9,481 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $6,946 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $209 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $1,126 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Berkeley?
Berkeley has an effective property tax rate of 0.740%, based on a median home value of $1,351,100 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Alameda County average of 0.762%.
What is the average home price in Berkeley?
The median owner-occupied home value in Berkeley, California is $1,351,100, against $1,057,400 across Alameda County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Berkeley?
Median gross rent in Berkeley is $2,127 a month, against $9,481 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Berkeley — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for California.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.