Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Pismo Beach, California
A $993,000 home here costs
$7,162per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $307,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $5,414. The real number is $1,748 higher every month, 32% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Luis Obispo County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Pismo Beach against San Luis Obispo County and California
| Measure | Pismo Beach | San Luis Obispo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $992,900 | $777,200 |
| Median property tax | $6,578 | $5,475 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.663% | 0.704% |
| Median gross rent | $2,298 | $1,899 |
| Population | 8,024 | 281,486 |
The weather behind that power bill
Pismo Beach sits in San Luis Obispo County, which averages a high of 79.5°F in its hottest month and a low of 40.2°F in its coldest, with 17.94" of precipitation a year and 59% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 334 cooling and 2,265 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Luis Obispo County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Luis Obispo County
Full San Luis Obispo County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Pismo Beach averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Pismo Beach every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Pismo Beach I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Pismo Beach?
A $993,000 home in Pismo Beach, California costs approximately $7,162 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $5,414 principal and interest, $549 property tax, $154 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $828 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Pismo Beach?
Pismo Beach has an effective property tax rate of 0.663%, based on a median home value of $992,900 and median real estate taxes of $6,578. That is lower than the San Luis Obispo County average of 0.704%.
What is the average home price in Pismo Beach?
The median owner-occupied home value in Pismo Beach, California is $992,900, against $777,200 across San Luis Obispo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Pismo Beach?
Median gross rent in Pismo Beach is $2,298 a month, against $7,162 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Pismo Beach?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Pismo Beach, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $307,000 a year. That covers the full $7,162 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Pismo Beach, 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.