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Budget Calculators

These free online budget calculators can help you learn how much you need to earn to cover the basic living expenses for a family in California. You can also build your own lifestyle budget with Make Money Choices on the California CareerZone, which requires setting up a free account.

Making Ends Meet

This California Budget Project calculator shows how much it costs for a family in California to cover basic expenses. Budgets are available for all 58 California counties and four family types.

Budget categories:

  • Housing and Utilities
  • Child Care
  • Transportation
  • Food
  • Health Care
  • Miscellaneous Expenses
  • Taxes

Family types:

  • Single Adult
  • Single Parent, Two Children
  • Two Parents, Two Children, One Parent Working
  • Two Parents, Two Children, Both Parents Working

Family Needs Calculator for California

The Family Needs Calculator measures the minimum income necessary to cover all of a family’s basic expenses. The Family Needs Calculator provides calculations for all 58 counties across the state.

Budget Categories:

  • Housing
  • Utilities
  • Food
  • Child care
  • Health care
  • Transportation
  • Taxes

Family Types:

  • Number of Adults
  • Number of Children: 
    • Infants
    • Preschoolers
    • School-agers
    • Teenagers