2024 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Lake Forest, CA vs Monterey, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Monterey or is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest?
- Monterey is 7.9% less expensive than Lake Forest.

Which city has more affordable housing, Monterey or Lake Forest?
- Monterey housing costs are 11.1% more expensive than Lake Forest housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest or is Health Care more affordable in Monterey.
- Health related expenses are 53.9% more in Monterey.
 Lake Forest, CAMonterey, CAUnited States
 Overall164.9151.9100
 Food & Groceries103.6110.4100
 Health93.4143.7100
 Housing300.0333.3100
 Median Home Cost$937,500$1,022,100$338,100
 Utilities10,160.0%8,710.0%10,000.0%
 Transportation111.692.1100
 Miscellaneous155.9112.2100
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 Monterey    21 Reviews

Over 7 years ago

The Monterey city area is an excellent place to live and one of the few California locales where it's relatively safe to raise a family. If I could no longer live here I  More

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I grew up on the Monterey Peninsula and had to leave to climb out of poverty. The median income is $35,000 and outside of the military, the jobs are mostly service  More

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My husband and I are just crazy about Monterey. I wonder if we take housing expenses (mortgage or rent) out of the picture, is Monterey still a very expensive city to  More

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