Costa Mesa, CA vs Long Beach, CA

There is a significant gap in the cost of living between these two cities. Long Beach is 26.6% cheaper than Costa Mesa. With a cost index of 157 vs 199, the difference would have a meaningful impact on a household's monthly budget. Someone relocating from Long Beach to Costa Mesa should plan for substantially higher expenses across most categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Costa Mesa is $2,395/month compared to $1,803/month in Long Beach — a 33% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Long Beach is more affordable at $762,200 median vs $1,054,700.

Median household income in Costa Mesa is $110,073 compared to $83,969 in Long Beach (+31.1%). While Costa Mesa is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Costa Mesa spend roughly 26.1% of their income on rent, more than the 25.8% in Long Beach.