2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Pollock Pines, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Pollock Pines or is it cheaper to live in Santa Cruz?
- Pollock Pines is 22.7% less expensive than Santa Cruz.

Which city has more affordable housing, Pollock Pines or Santa Cruz?
- Pollock Pines housing costs are 68.3% less expensive than Santa Cruz housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Santa Cruz or is Health Care more affordable in Pollock Pines.
- Health related expenses are 18.1% more in Pollock Pines.
 Santa Cruz, CAPollock Pines, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock143.7100
 Food & Groceries111.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock129.0100
 Housing420.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$386,200$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock132.0100
 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 Pollock Pines    6 Reviews

1 hr from Sacramento; 1 hour from Lake Tahoe on Hwy 50. Close to skiing, fishing, boating, camping, hiking, biking - if you love outdoor activities that make you sweat,  More

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Over 13 years ago

Sperling's Pollock Pines air quality ranking of "1.2" (very poor) surprises me for a place this far into the mountains. Is that an  More

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The review places the elevation too low. At the center of town (Safeway Supermarket) we are at 3,990. I'm slightly higher at just over 4,000. 30 years ago we used to  More

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