Cost of living in Santa Cruz: rent, homes and salary
The cost of living in Santa Cruz sits 9.9% above the US average: for 2024, the BEA regional price parity (RPP) of the metro area of Santa Cruz, CA is 109.9, with the US at 100 and housing alone at 164.3.
- Level of prices
- 109.9US = 100, BEA 2024
- Price level for housing
- 164.3. Rents, US = 100.
Cost of living index for Santa Cruz
A regional price parity puts the cost of the same goods and services in one place beside the US average, which is set at 100. Santa Cruz lies inside the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, whose prices BEA measures as one. Housing (rents) sits furthest from the US average, at 164.3, or 64.3% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | Santa Cruz, CA metro | California | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 109.9 | 110.7 | +9.9% |
| Goods | 105.2 | 106.1 | +5.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 164.3 | 154.3 | +64.3% |
| Utilities | 152.7 | 158.9 | +52.7% |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.6 | +0.3% |
Data source: BEA regional price parities, 2024, for metro areas and states, from the Bureau of Economic Analysis of the U.S. BEA regional price parities
What rent costs in Santa Cruz
In Santa Cruz, the typical asking rent comes to $3,418 a month, up +3.3% on a year, according to the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), which covers homes that are listed right now. In the US, that figure is $1,932.
| Rent | Santa Cruz | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $3,418 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +3.3% |
Sources: Zillow Observed Rent Index; one-year estimates from Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
Prices of homes in Santa Cruz
In September 2026, ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) valued a typical Santa Cruz home at $1,338,649; it tracks the worth of a home at the middle of the market. That comes to +5.8% on a year, while the US figure is $366,157.
| Home prices | Santa Cruz | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $1,338,649 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +5.8% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +64.1% | +77.4% |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 32.6 | 15.8 |
Days on market, a forecast, and the price chart since 2000: Housing market in Santa Cruz.
Salary you need to live in Santa Cruz
Two things set the Santa Cruz salary that keeps your current buying power: the place you live and the amount you earn.
- Where you are Moving from
- Salary
Every city side by side, plus the method behind it: cost of living comparison by city.
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Cost of living in Santa Cruz compared with other cities
| City | Level of prices | Housing | Typical rent figure | Typical value of a home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Cruz | 109.9 | 164.3 | $3,418 | $1,338,649 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| San Diego | 111.9 | 179.3 | $3,004 | $980,490 |
| San Jose | 110.4 | 211.9 | $3,582 | $1,353,869 |
| San Francisco | 115.6 | 194.7 | $4,784 | $1,441,021 |
| Fresno | 102.2 | 95.7 | $1,945 | $384,885 |
| Sacramento | 106.7 | 130.2 | $2,045 | $470,552 |
| Long Beach | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,412 | $852,391 |
| Oakland | 115.6 | 194.7 | $2,758 | $710,647 |
Price levels come from BEA regional price parities (2024), where US = 100. Rent data: Zillow ZORI. Home values: Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living by city. All states: cost of living in each state.