Cerritos, CA vs Pasadena, CA

Pasadena is moderately more affordable than Cerritos, with a 5.1% lower cost of living index. Cerritos scores 203 compared to 193 for Pasadena, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Cerritos can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Cerritos is $2,909/month compared to $2,218/month in Pasadena — a 31% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Pasadena has cheaper rent, Cerritos actually has lower median home values ($908,600 vs $1,045,000).

Median household income in Cerritos is $133,953 compared to $103,778 in Pasadena (+29.1%). While Cerritos is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Cerritos spend roughly 26.1% of their income on rent, more than the 25.6% in Pasadena.