2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Half Moon Bay, CA vs Petaluma, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Petaluma or is it cheaper to live in Half Moon Bay?
- Petaluma is 39.3% less expensive than Half Moon Bay.

Which city has more affordable housing, Petaluma or Half Moon Bay?
- Petaluma housing costs are 44.2% less expensive than Half Moon Bay housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Half Moon Bay or is Health Care more affordable in Petaluma.
- Health related expenses are 6.0% less in Petaluma.
 Half Moon Bay, CAPetaluma, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock151.8100
 Food & Groceries114.8  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock110.3100
 Housing504.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$839,600$338,100
 Utilities88  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock113.1100
 Miscellaneous161.9  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Half Moon Bay    3 Reviews

HMB has one of the best climates in the world. It also has some very good restaurants. You have the ocean on one side and scenic foothills to the east.It would be heaven  More

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Over 19 years ago

Rural coastal living in a great community close to San Francisco and Silicon  More

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Over 20 years ago

I lived in HMB for 17 years and loved (almost) every minute there. Beautiful hills to the east of the town and the Pacific ocean to the west. Close to San Francisco,  More

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Reviews for Petaluma    16 Reviews

I agree with the low star reviews. Been here for 25 years, raised a family and seen everything turn to the left and worse. Weather is glorious, love the old Victorians  More

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We’ve lived here for 3 years and we love it. It has taken some time to grow on us. We moved from SF where we had lived over 15 years, we were not used to one year leases  More

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I’ve lived here a couple of years (after living in others parts of the Bay Area for 15+ years) and I love it! Great neighborhoods, friendly folks, good schools with  More

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