How expensive is Redondo Beach?
Redondo Beach is the lowest-priced of the South Bay beach cities, but far above Los Angeles County as a whole. Zillow's typical home value of $1,473,478 (September 2026) is about $373,000 above Torrance next door, and well under half of Manhattan Beach's $3,353,430. Hermosa Beach, between the two, was $2,272,277.
Incomes are high too. The Census Bureau's median household income for Redondo Beach was $150,245 in the 2020-2024 American Community Survey, against $90,112 for Los Angeles County. That gap explains why Redondo Beach prices hold up even though few households could buy at today's prices from scratch.
The long-run rise is steep. Zillow's typical value is up 80.2% over ten years and 16.1% over five, and September 2026 was a new high for the series. Typical rent rose 53.0% over ten years and 22.9% over five. If you are moving from inland Los Angeles County or another state, budget for housing first and treat everything else as secondary.
Housing costs in Redondo Beach
Buying a home in Redondo Beach
Redfin's median sale price for Redondo Beach was $1,541,766 for the three months to September 2026, almost flat on a year earlier (up 0.4%). Using Zillow's typical value of $1,473,478 instead, a 20% down payment is about $294,700. The remaining $1,178,782 loan at Freddie Mac's 30-year average of 7.24% (week of October 29, 2026) costs about $8,033 a month in principal and interest, before tax, insurance and any HOA dues. Census figures show the median Redondo Beach owner with a mortgage pays $3,995 a month in total housing costs, which shows how much cheaper it is to have bought years ago.
Townhouses and condos in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach has an unusually large stock of attached homes. In the Census count, 13.4% of housing units are single-family attached homes and 18.2% are in buildings of 20 or more units; only 40.0% are detached houses. Redfin's three-month figures to September 2026 show a median condo sale of $984,971 in 90277 and $964,971 in 90278, against $2,319,415 and $1,564,605 for detached houses. Townhouse sales were the largest single group in 90278, with 47 sales at a median of $1,438,502. See our Redondo Beach condos guide for buildings, dues and inspection rules.
Renting in Redondo Beach
Zillow's typical asking rent was $3,483 a month in September 2026, up 2.7% in a year. The Census median gross rent, which includes utilities and older leases, was $2,691. MIT's housing budget for a single adult in Los Angeles County is $22,471 a year, about $1,873 a month, so a single renter in Redondo Beach should expect to pay well above that model. About 46.6% of occupied homes in the city are rented.
Property tax in Redondo Beach
Los Angeles County's Auditor-Controller lists a 2026-27 rate of 1.125565% for Redondo Beach tax rate areas 8055 and 8060. That is the 1% base plus 0.094386% for the unified school district, 0.022679% for the community college district and 0.0085% for the Metropolitan Water District. On the typical value of $1,473,478, the ad valorem tax is about $16,585 a year, or $1,382 a month, before direct assessments printed on the bill. The $7,000 homeowners' exemption saves about $79 a year. Every parcel has its own TRA, so check the bill; see our Los Angeles County property tax guide.
Homeowners insurance in Redondo Beach
Insurance quotes vary with the roof, the construction year and how close the home is to the harbor or the bluffs. More than half of the city's homes were built before 1980 (Census median year built: 1973), so older wiring, plumbing and roofs can raise premiums or limit carriers. Condo owners pay for an interior policy on top of the HOA's master policy. Earthquake cover is a separate policy. Get quotes for the exact address before you remove contingencies, and read our California homeowners insurance guide and earthquake insurance guide.
Everyday costs in Redondo Beach
MIT's Los Angeles County budget (updated February 15, 2026) is the best public breakdown of non-housing costs. Figures are per year.
| Cost per year | 1 adult, no children | 2 working adults, 2 children |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $4,463 | $13,062 |
| Child care | $0 | $26,634 |
| Medical | $3,255 | $11,179 |
| Housing (county average) | $22,471 | $31,372 |
| Transportation | $8,681 | $14,561 |
| Internet and mobile | $1,517 | $2,140 |
| Civic | $3,876 | $9,827 |
| Other | $4,992 | $10,804 |
| Taxes | $10,906 | $21,155 |
Utilities in Redondo Beach
Southern California Edison supplies electricity and SoCalGas supplies natural gas. Water comes from California Water Service (Cal Water), which the city lists as the water provider in its New Resident Guide. Athens Services is the city's exclusive hauler for trash, recycling and organics, with grey, blue and green carts. The marine climate keeps heating and cooling loads low, but ask the seller or landlord for twelve months of bills, and check whether any solar panels are owned or leased.
Groceries in Redondo Beach
MIT budgets $4,463 a year for one adult's food in Los Angeles County, roughly $372 a month, and $13,062 for a two-earner family of four, about $1,089 a month. Census data show 27.5% of Redondo Beach households include someone 65 or older, so household needs vary; size the grocery line to your own household rather than the single-adult figure.
Getting around Redondo Beach
Transportation is the largest item in MIT's single-adult budget after housing and taxes, at $8,681 a year. The city's Redondo Beach (Marine) station on the Metro K Line connects toward LAX and Inglewood, and Metro's base fare is $1.75 with a $5 daily cap and an $18 weekly cap. The city also runs Beach Cities Transit buses and offers subsidized monthly passes to residents. Even so, Census data show only 0.6% of workers commute by public transit, and the mean commute is 27.0 minutes. The city says 70% of trips in the South Bay are three miles or less, which is why many residents use bikes, e-bikes and golf carts on its new Local Travel Network streets.
Healthcare and child care in Redondo Beach
MIT puts medical costs at $3,255 a year for a single adult and $11,179 for a family of four. Child care is the largest single jump for families: $26,634 a year for two children in the county model, more than the family's food and medical costs combined. Ask local centers for current tuition and waitlists before you commit to a lease or purchase.
Taxes in Redondo Beach
Sales tax in Redondo Beach
The sales and use tax rate in Redondo Beach is 10.25% from October 1, 2026, according to the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration. That matches Hermosa Beach and is half a point below Torrance, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo, which are each at 10.75%. There is no city income tax; state income tax is set by the Franchise Tax Board.
Transfer tax when you sell in Redondo Beach
Redondo Beach is one of the few Los Angeles County cities with its own documentary transfer tax. The city charges $2.20 per $1,000 of price on top of the county's $1.10, for $3.30 per $1,000 in total. On a $1,473,478 sale that is about $4,863, usually paid by the seller in Los Angeles County cities. See our California transfer tax guide for how it is calculated.
Salary needed to live in Redondo Beach
MIT's required pre-tax incomes for Los Angeles County, updated February 2026:
| Household | Income needed before tax |
|---|---|
| 1 adult, no children | $60,161 |
| 1 adult, 1 child | $104,483 |
| 2 adults (1 working), no children | $79,296 |
| 2 adults (both working), 2 children | $140,735 |
Those are minimum budgets for renters at county-average housing costs. Renting at Zillow's typical $3,483 a month and keeping rent to 30% of gross pay points to about $139,000 a year for one household. Buying is a different scale: principal, interest and property tax on the typical $1,473,478 home come to about $9,415 a month, which a 28% housing ratio turns into roughly $404,000 a year. A $985,000 condo with the same terms brings that to about $270,000, before HOA dues and insurance.
Redondo Beach cost of living vs nearby cities
Home values and rents below are Zillow's typical values for September 2026. Income is the Census ACS 2020-2024 median; sales tax is CDTFA's October 1, 2026 rate.
| City | Typical home value | Typical rent | Household income | Sales tax |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Redondo Beach | $1,473,478 | $3,483 | $150,245 | 10.25% |
| Torrance | $1,100,115 | $3,006 | $116,217 | 10.75% |
| Hermosa Beach | $2,272,277 | $3,970 | $166,442 | 10.25% |
| Manhattan Beach | $3,353,430 | $6,406 | $204,306 | 10.75% |
| El Segundo | $1,719,205 | $3,253 | $150,737 | 10.75% |
Redondo Beach is the lowest-priced of the four beach cities by Zillow's measure, and Torrance is the cheaper inland option. Rent in Redondo Beach is higher than in El Segundo even though home values are lower, so compare rent and purchase costs separately rather than assuming one tracks the other. See the Los Angeles County market data for every city and our cost of living in California guide for the statewide view.
Ways to lower your costs in Redondo Beach
- Compare the two ZIP codes. Zillow's typical value in 90278 (North Redondo) was $1,378,065, about $264,000 below 90277 (South Redondo) at $1,641,898. Our Redondo Beach ZIP code guide covers both.
- Look at townhouses and condos. Attached homes trade at a large discount to detached houses in both ZIPs, and North Redondo has the deepest supply of newer townhouses.
- File the homeowners' exemption with the Los Angeles County Assessor after you move in.
- Use a resident transit pass. Redondo Beach residents qualify for subsidized Beach Cities Transit and Metro EZ passes at the City Hall transit office, 415 Diamond Street.
- Check first-time buyer help. State programs can cut the down payment; see our first-time homebuyer guide.
- Shop insurance every year and ask what roof, wiring or seismic upgrades would lower the premium.
- Weigh the whole picture on our pros and cons of living in Redondo Beach page before you commit.