Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Sausalito, California
A $1,859,000 home here costs
$13,024per 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 $558,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $10,135. The real number is $2,888 higher every month, 28% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Marin 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.
Sausalito against Marin County and California
| Measure | Sausalito | Marin County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,858,900 | $1,390,000 |
| Median property tax | $10,001 | $10,001 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.538% | 0.719% |
| Median gross rent | $3,408 | $2,584 |
| Population | 7,171 | 258,765 |
The weather behind that power bill
Sausalito sits in Marin County, which averages a high of 81.3°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.1°F in its coldest, with 34.45" of precipitation a year and 64% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 486 cooling and 2,481 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Marin County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Marin County
Full Marin County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Sausalito 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 Sausalito every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Sausalito I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Sausalito?
A $1,859,000 home in Sausalito, California costs approximately $13,024 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $10,135 principal and interest, $833 property tax, $288 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $1,549 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Sausalito?
Sausalito has an effective property tax rate of 0.538%, based on a median home value of $1,858,900 and median real estate taxes of $10,001. That is lower than the Marin County average of 0.719%.
What is the average home price in Sausalito?
The median owner-occupied home value in Sausalito, California is $1,858,900, against $1,390,000 across Marin County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Sausalito?
Median gross rent in Sausalito is $3,408 a month, against $13,024 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 Sausalito?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Sausalito, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $558,000 a year. That covers the full $13,024 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Sausalito, 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.