2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Columbia, MD vs Irvine, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Irvine or is it cheaper to live in Columbia?
- Irvine is 28.9% more expensive than Columbia.

Which city has more affordable housing, Irvine or Columbia?
- Irvine housing costs are 147.3% more expensive than Columbia housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Columbia or is Health Care more affordable in Irvine.
- Health related expenses are 8.0% more in Irvine.
 Columbia, MDIrvine, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.9100
 Food & Groceries104.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock93.4100
 Housing142.9  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,128,000$338,100
 Utilities110  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock111.0100
 Miscellaneous151.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Columbia    28 Reviews

Over 5 years ago

Lived here for a while, beautiful opportunities, pays well, overall nice  More

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Been here 30 years was great at first but once they added a transit bus from baltimore to columbia 15-18 years ago that was the beginning of the end. And about 5 years  More

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Columbia can be described in one word: unequal. The neighborhood I live in, River Hill, is jam-packed with almost million-dollar homes, while the neighborhoods of Long  More

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Reviews for Irvine    42 Reviews

We've lived in Irvine since '87. We have raised two children within the ISUD. Both are grown up. Sure, there have been many changes since then.. the City has  More

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I've lived in Irvine for 2 years and in Orange County for 10 so I'm pretty familiar with the area by now and all it has to offer. Perhaps my review of this place has  More

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I wouldn't live elsewhere. I originally moved to Irvine in 2002 from the Midwest, not knowing what it even was. I left and moved around a great deal locally in OC,  More

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