2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Santa Barbara, CA vs Palm Desert, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Palm Desert or is it cheaper to live in Santa Barbara?
- Palm Desert is 15.2% less expensive than Santa Barbara.

Which city has more affordable housing, Palm Desert or Santa Barbara?
- Palm Desert housing costs are 67.1% less expensive than Santa Barbara housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Santa Barbara or is Health Care more affordable in Palm Desert.
- Health related expenses are 22.9% less in Palm Desert.
 Santa Barbara, CAPalm Desert, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock131.2100
 Food & Groceries113.8  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock87.3100
 Housing476.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$539,000$338,100
 Utilities90  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock125.8100
 Miscellaneous142.5  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Santa Barbara    51 Reviews

I moved to Santa Barbara around 23 years ago to study at Brooks, which like most of the Santa Barbara that I knew—has been destroyed. Homelessness, drugs, gangs, high  More

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Over 4 years ago

I fell in love with Santa Barbara about thirty years ago and finally moved here a few years ago. Because of the price of homes, it is an expensive place to live. The  More

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If you like high crime, paying a $4,500 a month mortgage and crazy high taxes, this is the place for you. It’s too bad because it wasn’t always like this. When I moved  More

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Reviews for Palm Desert    14 Reviews

Over 4 years ago

Palm Desert, CA is full of rude people. One woman in a long sleeved pink shirt is being extremely rude and mocking people for no reason at a neighborhood Walmart in Palm  More

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Palm Desert is clean, upscale and beautiful. The views of the Santa Rosa Mountains bright blue sky and green expanses of golf course fairways, swimming pools and  More

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I made the mistake of moving here after a short vacation to be closer to family. Biggest mistake of my life! This is not the place to live if health is important to you.  More

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