2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Clemente, CA vs Santa Cruz, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Santa Cruz or is it cheaper to live in San Clemente?
- Santa Cruz is 12.8% more expensive than San Clemente.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Cruz or San Clemente?
- Santa Cruz housing costs are 1.1% less expensive than San Clemente housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Clemente or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Cruz.
- Health related expenses are 16.9% more in Santa Cruz.
 San Clemente, CASanta Cruz, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock186.0100
 Food & Groceries106.6  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock109.2100
 Housing425.5  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,270,800$338,100
 Utilities114  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock110.5100
 Miscellaneous155.6  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for San Clemente    9 Reviews

Over 14 years ago

First, the big plus of San Clemente is the weather. It is wonderful and most of the time you can enjoy a variety of outdoor activities. Second, the area has a natural  More

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Over 17 years ago

2005, 2006, 2007 one homicide 2008  More

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Over 17 years ago

I first moved to San Clemente in 1974 from the Los Angeles area. Three things struck me at the time as being radically different than LA: Things closed down earlier,  More

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Reviews for Santa Cruz    44 Reviews

I lived in the Santa Cruz area for 20 years. UCSC alum. Our kids were born there. There are wonderful things about Santa Cruz, but also many serious problems that we  More

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Over 5 years ago

I have been here for four generations! My kids are the fifth. I guess that should tell you how wonderful it is here, at least for us. It's so cool to have world class  More

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I was born over the hill in San Jose area, and as a kid I loved coming over to the boardwalk. Santa Cruz has always been and always will be a town of diversity,  More

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