Beverly Hills, CA vs Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica is moderately more affordable than Beverly Hills, with a 11.5% lower cost of living index. Beverly Hills scores 289 compared to 259 for Santa Monica, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Beverly Hills can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Beverly Hills is $2,805/month compared to $2,338/month in Santa Monica — a 20% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Santa Monica is more affordable at $1,810,200 median vs $2,000,001.

Median household income in Beverly Hills is $127,979 compared to $109,739 in Santa Monica (+16.6%). While Beverly Hills is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Beverly Hills spend roughly 26.3% of their income on rent, more than the 25.6% in Santa Monica.