2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Gardena, 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 Gardena?
- Santa Barbara is 4.3% less expensive than Gardena.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Barbara or Gardena?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 100.8% more expensive than Gardena housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Gardena or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Barbara.
- Health related expenses are 25.5% more in Santa Barbara.
 Gardena, CASanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.7100
 Food & Groceries101.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock113.2100
 Housing237.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,525,500$338,100
 Utilities91  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock97.0100
 Miscellaneous133.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Gardena    6 Reviews

As an alumni of Maria Regina, I am extremely proud that I had the wonderful opportunity to send my children here. The quality of the Christian-Catholic education they  More

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1. Crime. Gardena is a relatively low income city and attracts a lot neighboring losers. You have to watch your surroundings at all times. One woman was severely  More

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My husband has a job opportunity in Gardena. We're considering leaving Seattle for the first time in our lives and moving to LA. We love our home and neighborhood, but  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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