Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in San Marcos, California
A $792,000 home here costs
$5,926per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $254,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,387. The real number is $1,539 higher every month, 35% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Diego 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.
San Marcos against San Diego County and California
| Measure | San Marcos | San Diego County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $792,400 | $791,600 |
| Median property tax | $6,240 | $5,542 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.787% | 0.700% |
| Median gross rent | $2,191 | $2,154 |
| Population | 94,078 | 3,282,782 |
The weather behind that power bill
San Marcos sits in San Diego County, which averages a high of 90.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.6°F in its coldest, with 14.65" of precipitation a year and 62% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 957 cooling and 2,329 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Diego County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Diego County
Full San Diego County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are San Marcos 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 San Marcos every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in San Marcos I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in San Marcos?
A $792,000 home in San Marcos, California costs approximately $5,926 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $4,387 principal and interest, $519 property tax, $123 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $660 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in San Marcos?
San Marcos has an effective property tax rate of 0.787%, based on a median home value of $792,400 and median real estate taxes of $6,240. That is higher than the San Diego County average of 0.700%.
What is the average home price in San Marcos?
The median owner-occupied home value in San Marcos, California is $792,400, against $791,600 across San Diego County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Marcos?
Median gross rent in San Marcos is $2,191 a month, against $5,926 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 San Marcos?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in San Marcos, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $254,000 a year. That covers the full $5,926 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for San Marcos, 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.