2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Capitola, 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 Capitola?
- Santa Barbara is 16.8% less expensive than Capitola.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Barbara or Capitola?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 30.9% more expensive than Capitola housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Capitola or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Barbara.
- Health related expenses are 3.7% more in Santa Barbara.
 Capitola, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.7100
 Food & Groceries111.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock113.2100
 Housing364.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,525,500$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock97.0100
 Miscellaneous155.8  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Capitola    5 Reviews

Capitola is awesome, if you can afford it. Bring your wallet and lots of money in the  More

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Over 14 years ago

While expensive, Capitola offers great quality of life. Temperate climate, beautiful beaches and forests, a small town  More

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Considering the amount of crime throughout the world today, Capitola is exceptionally safe and livable. It is one of the few places anywhere where we feel free to allow  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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