Long Beach, CA vs Santa Rosa, CA

Long Beach, CA and Santa Rosa, CA have a very similar cost of living, with only a 0.4% difference in their overall index. Long Beach scores 157 while Santa Rosa scores 158 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 Long Beach is $1,803/month compared to $2,084/month in Santa Rosa — a 14% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Long Beach has cheaper rent, Santa Rosa actually has lower median home values ($685,000 vs $762,200).

Median household income in Long Beach is $83,969 compared to $97,410 in Santa Rosa (-13.8%). While Santa Rosa is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Long Beach spend roughly 25.8% of their income on rent, more than the 25.7% in Santa Rosa.

Climate-wise, Long Beach is notably warmer with an average of 64.9°F compared to 58.1°F in Santa Rosa. Santa Rosa receives more rainfall at 33.8" per year compared to 12" in Long Beach.