2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Carlsbad, CA vs Columbia, SC

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Columbia or is it cheaper to live in Carlsbad?
- Columbia is 43.6% less expensive than Carlsbad.

Which city has more affordable housing, Columbia or Carlsbad?
- Columbia housing costs are 85.1% less expensive than Carlsbad housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Carlsbad or is Health Care more affordable in Columbia.
- Health related expenses are 29.6% more in Columbia.
 Carlsbad, CAColumbia, SCUnited States
 Overall  Unlock87.4100
 Food & Groceries113.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock115.3100
 Housing391.6  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$204,100$338,100
 Utilities97  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock76.4100
 Miscellaneous154.1  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Carlsbad    38 Reviews

I've lived in Carlsbad (92008) for 8 years now and really appreciate all that it has to offer. Yes, ALL of San Diego County is expensive, but Carlsbad has [possibly]  More

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Over 4 years ago

Carlson has the worst winters. It averages about 10 meters of snow per week. Every shop is  More

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Ok, I get it, the climate is mild and tolerable but even that is over-rated when you consider how many cloudy days there are in this town. The sun coming out at 3 and  More

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Reviews for Columbia    50 Reviews

Over 2 years ago

I love living in Columbia! I recently graduated from USC and plan to stay. I read the reviews posted here and it shows that like many cities, your experience will depend  More

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Loved living in Columbia, SC prior to my job transfer. It's the perfect size - plenty to do, but still a laid back place. People are extremely friendly, there are  More

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Columbia is such a unique and underrated place. It has a lot of character and history, and good nature trails. Everything feels accessible (by car) and you can get from  More

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