2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Mesa, AZ vs Santee, CA

Change Cities
Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Santee or is it cheaper to live in Mesa?
- Santee is 37.1% more expensive than Mesa.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santee or Mesa?
- Santee housing costs are 92.9% more expensive than Mesa housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Mesa or is Health Care more affordable in Santee.
- Health related expenses are 3.8% less in Santee.
 Mesa, AZSantee, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.9100
 Food & Groceries97.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock89.0100
 Housing121.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$671,700$338,100
 Utilities100  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock123.5100
 Miscellaneous105.4  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
DID YOU KNOW?

In order to keep your same standard of living your salary can vary greatly - whether you buy or rent, require child care, or want to include taxes. This is why we are now offering a Premium Salary & Cost of Living Calculator.

Our Premium Calculator Includes:
- Compare Cities cost of living across 9 different categories
- Personal salary calculations can optionally include Home ownership or rental, Child care, and Taxes (with details on state and local sales, income, property and automobile taxes)
- Includes the cost of Child Care for toddlers or infants, at a day care center or home care
- Grocery prices, detailed for 29 staple items in six categories
- Difference in cost of Utilities, including electric, gas and fuel oil
- Health Care Premiums and hospital expenses for major surgeries
- Taxes, Fees and Expenses you should know about, such as local car insurance rates, automobile taxes and registration, commuting costs.
- and 100s of other items you should consider before you relocate

Upgrade to Premium | See Example

Reviews for Mesa    61 Reviews

Mesa is a really good city despite some trouble with Superstition Springs and the failure that is Fiesta Mall, there is nice areas throughout and some areas that need to  More

   |    Reply

Over 2 years ago

As someone who was born in Mesa and has lived here in the 85210 in Dobson Ranch for the last 13 years after moving out from Chandler. I can tell you that most of the  More

   |    Reply

I’m a native to Arizona and growing up here has taught me that people just don’t care, and the Mormon community is huge! It’s normal in the state of AZ for kids to start  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Mesa

Reviews for Santee    10 Reviews

Over 13 years ago

I have lived in Santee for 36 years and the changes have been extensive. Traffic has been, and still is, a big problem. However, that's a problem in most CA towns and  More

   |    Reply

Over 13 years ago

San Diego in general is a very expensive place to live. Santee is less so but compared to the rest of the country we are way over  More

   |    Reply

Over 17 years ago

Santee has a great quality of life,low crime, good schools(some of the best schools east county has to offer), fairly short commute time, as it is fairly well central in  More

   |    Reply

Start Your Review of Santee


Premium Subscription
Includes Cost of Living compares for child care, utilities, transportation, health, taxes, housing for home owners vs renters, weather, insurance premiums and so much more.


The premier source for comprehensive city data for over 30 years.

© Best Places. All rights reserved.