2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Costa Mesa, CA vs Chico, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Chico or is it cheaper to live in Costa Mesa?
- Chico is 33.1% less expensive than Costa Mesa.

Which city has more affordable housing, Chico or Costa Mesa?
- Chico housing costs are 58.2% less expensive than Costa Mesa housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Costa Mesa or is Health Care more affordable in Chico.
- Health related expenses are 29.3% more in Chico.
 Costa Mesa, CAChico, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock110.3100
 Food & Groceries105.1  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock120.8100
 Housing347.9  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$440,000$338,100
 Utilities90  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock84.9100
 Miscellaneous156.0  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Costa Mesa    8 Reviews

Over 15 years ago

Costa mesa has awesome shopping but is way too crowded and I have had 3 cars stolen in the past 5 years along with countless break-ins and theft. Expensive. Close to  More

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Over 16 years ago

Costa Mesa has a near perfect climate . . . plenty of sun but rarely over 100 degrees (our house doesn't even have AC). Nestled between Newport Beach and Huntington  More

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We have a good amount of low-income, medium-income, and relatively high-income  More

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Reviews for Chico    31 Reviews

Chico is imperfect like most places, but it's still good. Any and all of it's issues proceed from it's main fault of growing increasingly liberal, which is to be  More

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Uuwuu · 
Over 3 years ago

Chico's decent. I've been living here for ~5 years now. Eveen though my brother loves Chico and would like to stay, I would like to leave. I have no issues with crime or  More

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I was born in Oroville and I grew up in Oroville and Biggs. I have heard all my life about crime in chico. Well I have lived in Chico near Chapman for almost 10 years  More

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