2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Boulder, CO vs Ridgecrest, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Ridgecrest or is it cheaper to live in Boulder?
- Ridgecrest is 29.4% less expensive than Boulder.

Which city has more affordable housing, Ridgecrest or Boulder?
- Ridgecrest housing costs are 74.4% less expensive than Boulder housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Boulder or is Health Care more affordable in Ridgecrest.
- Health related expenses are 8.4% more in Ridgecrest.
 Boulder, CORidgecrest, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock99.8100
 Food & Groceries106.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock92.7100
 Housing322.6  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$245,600$338,100
 Utilities93  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock101.6100
 Miscellaneous154.4  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Boulder    55 Reviews

Outside of the university, Boulder had a very distinctive "wealthy hippy" feel. A lot of alternative medicine and a matching ethos. This is changing some among my  More

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We moved here from Texas about 4 years ago and love it here! The amazing sense of community and high regard for the environment are two of the main reasons we love  More

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Over 5 years ago

Most people do much worse than Boulder. I'm the most critical person I've ever met who is never happy or satisfied -- so that's a pretty huge compliment.   More

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Reviews for Ridgecrest    7 Reviews

For context, I grew up in Ridgecrest and moved away after graduating high school. I have since lived in LA and the Bay Area but I visit RC often. RC is in the high  More

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Ridgecrest and Kern County are red state bastions in a land of blue voting counties. If you want a concealed weapons permit, you'll get it. Want to own any firearm  More

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Over 13 years ago

The hardest thing to get used to in Ridgecrest is the weather. It can get quite windy. And hot. 115 hot. But it's a dry heat! It does cool off in the evening, and it  More

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