2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Alpena, MI vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Santa Barbara or is it cheaper to live in Alpena?
- Santa Barbara is 110.5% more expensive than Alpena.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Barbara or Alpena?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 1,161.1% more expensive than Alpena housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Alpena or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Barbara.
- Health related expenses are 24.5% more in Santa Barbara.
 Alpena, MISanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.7100
 Food & Groceries89.8  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock113.2100
 Housing37.8  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,525,500$338,100
 Utilities95  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock97.0100
 Miscellaneous81.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Alpena    5 Reviews

One of the ten best places to visit in Michigan. I was born and raised in Michigan but now live in Seattle. I get back to Michigan frequently because my brother  More

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Over 12 years ago

Alpena is 740 ft above sea leval and gets 72 in. of snow every year. That's a good thing and Alpena is a winter wonderland for me . Clean and crisp with the lake frozen  More

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Alpena is a town for all ages, with plenty to do, more than one person could attend. I think the events are varied and offer something for everyone. The town is  More

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Reviews for Santa Barbara    51 Reviews

I moved to Santa Barbara around 23 years ago to study at Brooks, which like most of the Santa Barbara that I knew—has been destroyed. Homelessness, drugs, gangs, high  More

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Over 4 years ago

I fell in love with Santa Barbara about thirty years ago and finally moved here a few years ago. Because of the price of homes, it is an expensive place to live. The  More

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If you like high crime, paying a $4,500 a month mortgage and crazy high taxes, this is the place for you. It’s too bad because it wasn’t always like this. When I moved  More

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