Can A Truck Driver Afford Rent in Malibu, CA?

Rent-burdened — rent takes 214% of gross income.

Malibu rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (California state estimate).

Malibu median rent
$11,932/mo
Truck Driver salary (California)
$66,918/yr
Rent as % of income
214%
Gross monthly income works out to about $5,577, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,673/mo in rent. Malibu's median rent of $11,932 exceeds that threshold by $10,259/mo, putting a truck driver salary into the rent-burdened range here. A truck driver works roughly 370.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a truck driver salary

Truck driver pay covers comfortable rent in most lower- and mid-cost US metros and stretches thin in the highest-cost ones. Because many drivers can base anywhere along their route, the home-city rent decision has an outsized effect on take-home. At the national-average driver salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,418 a month in rent. The per-city pages show which markets keep rent within that range and which push it out of reach.

Cheaper rent nearby

These California cities have lower median rent than Malibu, which improves the affordability math on a truck driver salary:

Del Mar, CA
$11,022/mo (197.7% of income)
Del Mar, CA
$9,283/mo (166.5% of income)
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
$8,898/mo (159.6% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Malibu

View full rent data for Malibu, CA

Frequently asked questions

Can a truck driver afford rent in Malibu, CA?

Median rent in Malibu is $11,932 a month. A typical truck driver in California earns about $66,918 a year, which makes that rent 214% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is no — rent exceeds the 30% threshold.

How much rent can a truck driver afford in Malibu?

Using the 30% rule, a truck driver salary in California (~$66,918/yr) supports up to $1,673 a month in rent. Malibu's current median rent is $11,932/mo, which is $10,259/mo over the affordability threshold.

How many hours does a truck driver work to cover rent in Malibu?

At an hourly equivalent of about $32 an hour, a truck driver in California works roughly 370.9 hours a month to cover Malibu's median rent of $11,932.

Where is rent cheaper than Malibu for a truck driver?

Nearby California cities with lower median rent include Del Mar ($11,022/mo), Del Mar ($9,283/mo), Palos Verdes Estates ($8,898/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a truck driver salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived California state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Malibu, CA. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.