2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Lake Forest, CA vs Columbia, TN

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Columbia or is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest?
- Columbia is 38.6% less expensive than Lake Forest.

Which city has more affordable housing, Columbia or Lake Forest?
- Columbia housing costs are 69.5% less expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest or is Health Care more affordable in Columbia.
- Health related expenses are 16.6% more in Columbia.
 Lake Forest, CAColumbia, TNUnited States
 Overall  Unlock101.3100
 Food & Groceries103.6  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock108.9100
 Housing300.0  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$345,600$338,100
 Utilities102  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock103.5100
 Miscellaneous155.9  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Lake Forest    16 Reviews

I've lived in Lake Forest for over a decade, before that elsewhere in OC and also up in LA. Lake Forest isn't perfect but it's really improved over the past decade,  More

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As a retired senior who has lived in Lake Forest (formerly El Toro) since 1977 I think LF is a great place if you can afford it. When we moved here in June '77 homes  More

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I’ve lived here for 2 years. Ok, it’s more like a 4 but there are so many idiots downplaying what it’s like here and giving Lake Forest ones and twos. There are a lot of  More

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Reviews for Columbia    7 Reviews

I was disturbed when I say old comments on this page. I recently moved to Columbia, TN. I saw associations with crime and other things that do not reflect what is by far  More

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Over 16 years ago

The jobs in Columbia, Tennessee are scarce in comparison to cities. It has been that way since the '90's. In the 90's General Electric and other major companies left the  More

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Over 17 years ago

Small old fashioned city. Not very progressive. great weather adequate schools no job growth. reasonable housing costs close to Nashville very few  More

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