2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Santa Cruz, CA vs Wailuku, HI

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Wailuku or is it cheaper to live in Santa Cruz?
- Wailuku is 13.9% less expensive than Santa Cruz.

Which city has more affordable housing, Wailuku or Santa Cruz?
- Wailuku housing costs are 43.7% less expensive than Santa Cruz housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Santa Cruz or is Health Care more affordable in Wailuku.
- Health related expenses are 8.3% less in Wailuku.
 Santa Cruz, CAWailuku, HIUnited States
 Overall  Unlock160.2100
 Food & Groceries111.5  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock100.1100
 Housing420.7  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$805,000$338,100
 Utilities94  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock89.3100
 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 Wailuku    3 Reviews

Over 11 years ago

You can't beat the weather here. If you like the 4 seasons the islands wouldn't be the place for you.   More

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Over 17 years ago

the tourist economy has fallen apart, major layoffs state wide. All major airlines getting close to pulling out of west coast market. Aloha and ATA both went out of  More

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Over 19 years ago

Wailuku is a beautiful place to live. The climate is wetter than the south side of Maui because we are next to the west Maui mountains. It will drizzle a little each  More

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