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What Salary Do You Need to Live On a Budget in El Centro?

You need roughly $40,000/year to live on a budget in El Centro. After taxes that’s about $2,690/month, which covers a 1-bedroom at HUD’s Fair Market Rent of $1,362/month, groceries, transport, healthcare, and a 10% savings buffer. Of the occupations BLS tracks in El Centro, about 10 pay at least that much at the median. It's possible. It isn't comfortable.

Monthly budget to live on a budget

Based on HUD FMR for El Centro (RPP 95.17). All figures are monthly unless noted.

ExpenseMonthlyAnnual
Rent (HUD FMR 1BR)$1,362$16,344
Groceries$300$3,600
Transportation$200$2,400
Healthcare$150$1,800
Savings (10%)$269$3,228
Required take-home$2,690$32,280
Required gross salary$40,000/year

Jobs in El Centro that pay $40,000+/year

These occupations have median salaries at or above what you need to live on a budget.

Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs
, median $53,630/yr
Food Processing Workers, All Other
, median $39,570/yr
Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse
3.3K jobs, median $36,400/yr
Fast Food and Counter Workers
1.7K jobs, median $36,600/yr
Correctional Officers and Jailers
1.3K jobs, median $104,090/yr
Stockers and Order Fillers
1.3K jobs, median $39,130/yr
Office Clerks, General
1.2K jobs, median $40,370/yr
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
1.1K jobs, median $36,530/yr
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers
1.1K jobs, median $51,370/yr
Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary
0.9K jobs, median $44,020/yr

Compare all lifestyles in El Centro

What salary you need to live budget, comfortably, or well.

Living On a Budget(1BR at $1,362/mo)
$40,000/yr
Living Comfortably(2BR at $1,362/mo)
$45,000/yrView →
Living Well(3BR at $1,771/mo)
$66,000/yrView →

Keep exploring El Centro

All salariesCost of livingAfford a 2BRTake-home calculator

Frequently asked questions

What salary do you need to live on a budget in El Centro?
To live on a budget in El Centro you need roughly $40,000/year gross, or about $2,690/month in take-home pay. This covers rent at the HUD FMR of $1,362/month, groceries, transportation, healthcare, and 10% savings.
Is this realistic for the El Centro job market?
10 BLS-tracked occupations in the El Centro metro pay $40,000/year or more at the median. A limited number of fields hit this bar.
How much of that goes to rent?
Rent takes 51% of monthly take-home in this scenario. The HUD Fair Market Rent for El Centro is $1,362/month for a 1-bedroom. The rest splits across groceries ($300), transportation ($200), and healthcare ($150).
What if I want to save more than 10%?
This budget targets a 10% savings rate. To push that to 20%, add roughly 10 to 15% to the gross figure, putting you near $44,800/year. Alternatively, trim variable costs. Groceries and transportation have more flexibility than rent.
How does El Centro compare to other metros for this lifestyle?
The bare minimum in El Centro is around $40,000/year on a tight budget, covering a 1-bedroom at the HUD FMR. A comfortable lifestyle requires $45,000/year. Use the comparison table above or the compare tool to check other metros side by side.

Source data is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and other federal agencies. AffordMap is not affiliated with or endorsed by any government agency. Per BLS policy, "BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov."

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