What is the cost of living in Santa Cruz, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Cruz has an overall cost of living index of 206, which is 2.1x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Santa Cruz has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Santa Cruz ranks as #538 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Cruz ranks as the #96 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Santa Cruz, check out:
Santa Cruz Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Cruz. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Santa Cruz is 114.
The Groceries index in Santa Cruz is 118.
The Health index in Santa Cruz is 410.
The Housing index in Santa Cruz is 116.
The Transportation index in Santa Cruz is 116.
The Utilities index in Santa Cruz is 120.
| Living Expense | Santa Cruz | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 206 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 114 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 118 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 410 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 116 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 116 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 120 | 121 | 100 |
Santa Cruz Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Santa Cruz Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Santa Cruz, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Santa Cruz is $1,344,332.
The Median Rent in Santa Cruz is $2,452.
The Median Income in Santa Cruz is $115,475.
The Home Value To Income in Santa Cruz is 11.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Cruz is 0.25x.
| Statistic | Santa Cruz | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,344,332 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,452 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $115,475 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 11.6x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.25x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Santa Cruz, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Santa Cruz Services costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Cruz | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.66 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $13.31 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $33.3 | $18 |
| Haircut | $33.94 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $48.51 | $45.56 |
Detailed Santa Cruz Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Cruz | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.79 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.13 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.05 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.77 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.92 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.99 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.72 | $3.7 |
Detailed Santa Cruz Health costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Cruz | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $158.95 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $194.05 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $147.78 | $113.29 |
Detailed Santa Cruz Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Cruz | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.81 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.62 | $59.92 |
Detailed Santa Cruz Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Cruz | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $294.74 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $190.07 | $192.25 |
Santa Cruz SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Cruz
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santa Cruz. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Chandler, AZ has a cost of living index of 125, 0.6x Santa Cruz.
Tempe, AZ has a cost of living index of 117, 0.6x Santa Cruz.
Goodyear, AZ has a cost of living index of 122, 0.6x Santa Cruz.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Santa Cruz |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chandler, AZ | 280,136 | 125 | 0.6x |
| Tempe, AZ | 188,065 | 117 | 0.6x |
| Goodyear, AZ | 107,645 | 122 | 0.6x |
| Avondale, AZ | 92,477 | 113 | 0.5x |
| Maricopa, AZ | 67,163 | 113 | 0.5x |
| Sun Lakes, AZ | 13,924 | 123 | 0.6x |
| Tolleson, AZ | 7,668 | 105 | 0.5x |
| Guadalupe, AZ | 5,272 | 97 | 0.5x |
