Costa Mesa, CA vs Santa Clarita, CA

Santa Clarita is moderately more affordable than Costa Mesa, with a 14.1% lower cost of living index. Costa Mesa scores 199 compared to 175 for Santa Clarita, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Costa Mesa can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Costa Mesa is $2,395/month compared to $2,486/month in Santa Clarita — a 4% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Costa Mesa has cheaper rent, Santa Clarita actually has lower median home values ($721,000 vs $1,054,700).

Median household income in Costa Mesa is $110,073 compared to $119,926 in Santa Clarita (-8.2%). Santa Clarita offers a double advantage: higher earnings combined with a lower cost of living, giving residents significantly more purchasing power. Looking at affordability, residents of Costa Mesa spend roughly 26.1% of their income on rent, more than the 24.9% in Santa Clarita.