Los Gatos, CA vs Santa Monica, CA

Santa Monica is moderately more affordable than Los Gatos, with a 13.1% lower cost of living index. Los Gatos scores 294 compared to 259 for Santa Monica, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Los Gatos can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Los Gatos is $2,969/month compared to $2,338/month in Santa Monica — a 27% difference. Home values follow the same pattern: Santa Monica is more affordable at $1,810,200 median vs $2,000,001.

Median household income in Los Gatos is $207,891 compared to $109,739 in Santa Monica (+89.4%). While Los Gatos is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Los Gatos spend roughly 17.1% of their income on rent, less than the 25.6% in Santa Monica.

Climate-wise, both cities share similar average temperatures (60.7°F vs 62.8°F). Santa Monica receives more rainfall at 13.5" per year compared to 13.5" in Los Gatos.