2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
San Diego, CA vs Lake Forest, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lake Forest or is it cheaper to live in San Diego?
- Lake Forest is 6.5% more expensive than San Diego.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lake Forest or San Diego?
- Lake Forest housing costs are 7.8% more expensive than San Diego housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in San Diego or is Health Care more affordable in Lake Forest.
- Health related expenses are 4.9% more in Lake Forest.
 San Diego, CALake Forest, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock164.9100
 Food & Groceries109.7  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock93.4100
 Housing278.4  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$937,500$338,100
 Utilities103  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock111.6100
 Miscellaneous153.9  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for San Diego    319 Reviews

I have lived in San Diego for more than half my life (I am 30) and love it. It has something for everyone and more from arts, to sporting events, and all cuisine is  More

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The only real knock again San Diego is the cost of living, but it is paradise compared to most cities of similar size. Those who complain about the traffic here or say  More

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I have lived in San Diego since 1968 and I am now almost 62 years old. I love San Diego, I really do. But it has become so crowded and so expensive over the years. It  More

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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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