2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Lake Forest, CA vs Manhattan Beach, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Manhattan Beach or is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest?
- Manhattan Beach is 1.9% less expensive than Lake Forest.

Which city has more affordable housing, Manhattan Beach or Lake Forest?
- Manhattan Beach housing costs are 224.9% more expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest or is Health Care more affordable in Manhattan Beach.
- Health related expenses are 3.4% less in Manhattan Beach.
 Lake Forest, CAManhattan Beach, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock161.7100
 Food & Groceries103.6  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock90.2100
 Housing300.0  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$2,880,400$338,100
 Utilities102  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock156.5100
 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 Manhattan Beach    6 Reviews

If heaven would have a proper name, Manhattan Beach is what it would be called. Not far fro LAX in Los Angeles lies this beautiful hamlet that I want to live. Want to  More

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It doesn't get any better than Manhattan Beach. However, homes are expensive. If you are in the $1 million + range this is the place: Warm weather all year, low  More

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HowEVERR, it IS - highly priced Housing-wise (thank goodness I bought MY house in '99!!) - Im a REALTOR, watching my personal home-value drop from 3 TIMES purchase  More

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