Burlingame, CA vs Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica is moderately more affordable than Burlingame, with a 9.9% lower cost of living index. Burlingame scores 285 compared to 259 for Santa Monica, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Burlingame can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Burlingame is $2,643/month compared to $2,338/month in Santa Monica — a 13% 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 Burlingame is $168,832 compared to $109,739 in Santa Monica (+53.8%). While Burlingame is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Burlingame spend roughly 18.8% of their income on rent, less than the 25.6% in Santa Monica.