Garden Grove, CA vs Long Beach, CA

Garden Grove, CA and Long Beach, CA have a very similar cost of living, with only a 3.4% difference in their overall index. Garden Grove scores 163 while Long Beach scores 157 on the cost of living index, where 100 represents the national average. The day-to-day expenses for residents in both cities are comparable, though differences emerge when looking at specific categories.

On the housing front, median rent in Garden Grove is $1,971/month compared to $1,803/month in Long Beach — a 9% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Long Beach is more affordable at $762,200 median vs $765,500.

Median household income in Garden Grove is $90,166 compared to $83,969 in Long Beach (+7.4%). While Garden Grove is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Garden Grove spend roughly 26.2% of their income on rent, more than the 25.8% in Long Beach.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (66.2°F vs 64.9°F). Long Beach receives more rainfall at 12" per year compared to 11.9" in Garden Grove.