2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Lansing, MI

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Lansing or is it cheaper to live in Santa Cruz?
- Lansing is 55.1% less expensive than Santa Cruz.

Which city has more affordable housing, Lansing or Santa Cruz?
- Lansing housing costs are 89.8% less expensive than Santa Cruz housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Santa Cruz or is Health Care more affordable in Lansing.
- Health related expenses are 19.5% less in Lansing.
 Santa Cruz, CALansing, MIUnited States
 Overall  Unlock83.6100
 Food & Groceries111.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock87.9100
 Housing420.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$127,100$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock94.8100
 Miscellaneous155.7  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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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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Reviews for Lansing    28 Reviews

I am in my fifth house in the greater Lansing area since relocating here in 1997 from the tri-city area (Midland/Bay City/Saginaw). Pros: people are friendlier here-  More

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I first moved to Lansing in the early 2000s for grad school @ MSU, went away and returned after several years. I must say, the area has improved VERY significantly  More

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This is a really nice place to live and people here are friendly there is a lot to do and a wide variety of different people and belief systems if you know where to look  More

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