2026 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
El Cajon, CA vs Imperial Beach, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Imperial Beach or is it cheaper to live in El Cajon?
- Imperial Beach is 0.0% more expensive than El Cajon.

Which city has more affordable housing, Imperial Beach or El Cajon?
- Imperial Beach housing costs are 9.7% more expensive than El Cajon housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in El Cajon or is Health Care more affordable in Imperial Beach.
- Health related expenses are 0.0% less in Imperial Beach.
 El Cajon, CAImperial Beach, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.9100
 Food & Groceries107.9  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock89.0100
 Housing234.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$804,700$338,100
 Utilities111  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock125.6100
 Miscellaneous153.5  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for El Cajon    10 Reviews

Stay out of East El Cajon. The people that live there don't like  More

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Housing less expensive then San Diego, wages the same. A total package of people from different backgrounds (ethnic) which is  More

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El Cajon and La Mesa are about a dozen miles east of the Pacific Ocean. Fletcher Hills, in particular, is a community within El Cajon on the boarder of La Mesa/Mt.  More

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Reviews for Imperial Beach    5 Reviews

Over 14 years ago

In my opinion, imperial beach is the best place to live. IB is the perfect place to raise a family. It has the perfect amount of the good and the bad.  More

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My wife and I moved here from Chula Vista, CA before we knew she was pregnant, attracted by the opportunity to live right near the ocean; in a small, albeit somewhat  More

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Over 20 years ago

Come live in San Diego's most affordable beach community...Imperial  More

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