Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Redding, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Long Beach, CA and Redding, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,394 in Long Beach, CA versus $2,452 in Redding, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,823 in Long Beach, CA versus $3,458 in Redding, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,251 in Long Beach, CA versus $4,465 in Redding, CA.

Living in Long Beach, CA is roughly 38% more expensive than in Redding, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Long Beach, CA 155% above, Redding, CA 84% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.85 $17.85

$17.97 $17.97

-0.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$60.3 $60.3

35.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.15 $15.15

$11.82 $11.82

28.17%

Cappuccino

$5.25 $5.25

$4.99 $4.99

5.21%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.38 $2.38

24.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$2.15 $2.15

6.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.29 $7.29

$5.47 $5.47

33.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$4.92 $4.92

64.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.37 $1.37

-15.33%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.93 $4.93

-13.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$4.13 $4.13

3.87%

Eggs

$3.78 $3.78

$3.90 $3.90

-3.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.14 $12.14

$12.62 $12.62

-3.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.59 $12.59

$14.76 $14.76

-14.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 $15.68

$17.19 $17.19

-8.78%

Apples (1kg)

$4.42 $4.42

$5.82 $5.82

-24.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.69 $1.69

2.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$3.55 $3.55

15.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.77 $4.77

$5.40 $5.40

-11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$4.61 $4.61

-33.62%

Onion (1kg)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.50 $3.50

-32.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.11 $2.11

-2.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.68 $1.68

28.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.18 $11.18

$10.40 $10.40

7.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.30 $15.30

$10.32 $10.32

48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.40 $1.40

26.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$3.28 $3.28

-22.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.49 $1.49

15.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$70.3 $70.3

$49.46 $49.46

42.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.98 $2.98

$2.94 $2.94

1.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.32 $4.32

$2.34 $2.34

84.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.96 $27.96

$39.22 $39.22

-28.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.22 $1.22

0.82%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$25.3K $25.3K

$23.7K $23.7K

6.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.96%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$157 $157

$278 $278

-43.35%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$53.2 $53.2

$53.7 $53.7

-1.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.4 $57.4

$70.4 $70.4

-18.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.95 $38.95

$56.7 $56.7

-31.24%

Cinema Ticket

$15.01 $15.01

$9.15 $9.15

64.04%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,489 $1,489

$2,718 $2,718

-45.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$38.1K $38.1K

-25.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.46 $47.46

$63.8 $63.8

-25.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.63 $33.63

$31.98 $31.98

5.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.1 $99.1

$82.7 $82.7

19.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$125 $125

-17.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,382 $2,382

$1,309 $1,309

81.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,107 $2,107

$1,037 $1,037

103.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,595 $3,595

$1,835 $1,835

95.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,379 $3,379

$1,596 $1,596

111.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,089 $7,089

$2,751 $2,751

157.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,918 $6,918

$2,676 $2,676

158.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,313 $4,313

$3,527 $3,527

22.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.55

-2.44%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Long Beach, CA: July 26, 2026

Last update for Redding, CA: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,382 in Long Beach, CA and $1,309 in Redding, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Long Beach, CA pays 22% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $82.0 in Long Beach, CA vs $60.0 in Redding, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $398 vs $422, with Long Beach, CA cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Long Beach, CA vs Redding, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Long Beach, CA and Redding, CA differ by about 38% in total monthly costs ($3,394 vs $2,452 including rent). Redding, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 22% higher in Long Beach, CA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,382 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,309 in Redding, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Redding, CA – a meal for two runs $60.0 versus $82.0 in Long Beach, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $3,394 per month in Long Beach, CA versus $2,452 in Redding, CA – a 38% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,452 in Redding, CA versus $3,394 in Long Beach, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Redding, CA but tight or insufficient in Long Beach, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Redding, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Redding, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Long Beach, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.