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

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Santa Barbara or is it cheaper to live in Arcadia?
- Santa Barbara is 4.3% less expensive than Arcadia.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Barbara or Arcadia?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 17.8% more expensive than Arcadia housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Arcadia or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Barbara.
- Health related expenses are 30.6% more in Santa Barbara.
 Arcadia, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.7100
 Food & Groceries108.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock113.2100
 Housing404.6  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,525,500$338,100
 Utilities99  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock97.0100
 Miscellaneous133.4  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Arcadia    4 Reviews

Hi, We live in the city of Los Angeles, a total nightmare for us who lived in Texas for more than 5 years. We have job offers in both Arcadia, CA and in Round Rock  More

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Over 14 years ago

We like a neighborhood which has a lot tree and decent parks. Also, we prefer a place where are convient for restaurant, grocery, shopping mall, and library. Believe or  More

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Over 15 years ago

Arcadia has fairly good weather except for a few extra hot summer days. Rainy weather has been less over the last few years, so a bit of a drought exists. Air quality  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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