Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, CA and Pleasanton, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Cruz, CA and Pleasanton, CA

🙂 Solo nomad: Santa Cruz, CA is 9.4% cheaper than Pleasanton, CA without rent, and 4% more expensive with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Santa Cruz, CA is 8% more expensive than Pleasanton, CA without rent, and 4.3% more expensive with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.44 $22.44

$19.63 $19.63

14.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.7 $79.7

$81 $81

-1.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.36 $12.36

$10.86 $10.86

13.81%

Cappuccino

$5.85 $5.85

$5.06 $5.06

15.61%

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

$3.41 $3.41

$2.65 $2.65

28.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$1.78 $1.78

42.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.93 $6.93

$7.19 $7.19

-3.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.46 $7.46

$7.96 $7.96

-6.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

White Bread (500g)

$5.16 $5.16

$4.77 $4.77

8.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.65 $6.65

$10.2 $10.2

-34.80%

Eggs

$5.96 $5.96

$4.8 $4.8

24.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.24 $23.24

$11.5 $11.5

102.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.85 $14.85

$19.47 $19.47

-23.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.7 $23.7

$23.44 $23.44

1.11%

Apples (1kg)

$7.05 $7.05

$8.59 $8.59

-17.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.54 $2.54

9.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.32 $5.32

$3.9 $3.9

36.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.49 $7.49

$8.76 $8.76

-14.50%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$4.23 $4.23

-8.27%

Onion (1kg)

$3.93 $3.93

$4.37 $4.37

-10.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.9 $2.9

$3.1 $3.1

-6.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.64 $2.64

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.16 $14.16

$12.15 $12.15

16.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.02 $12.02

$17.7 $17.7

-32.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.06 $2.06

4.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$5.41 $5.41

-50.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.96 $1.96

4.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 $65.2

$60 $60

8.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 $4.09

$3.97 $3.97

3.02%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.92 $1.92

0.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.9 $38.9

$50.5 $50.5

-22.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.28 $1.28

-3.13%

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

$34.9K $34.9K

$25.5K $25.5K

36.85%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$25.5K $25.5K

3.96%

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

$221 $221

$166 $166

33.14%

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

$47.05 $47.05

$48.21 $48.21

-2.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.8 $67.8

$94.3 $94.3

-28.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.2 $60.2

$72.2 $72.2

-16.63%

Cinema Ticket

$17.04 $17.04

$18.24 $18.24

-6.58%

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

$3,225 $3,225

$2,076 $2,076

55.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.5K $38.5K

$35.5K $35.5K

8.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.2 $63.2

$39.67 $39.67

59.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.64 $46.64

$38.32 $38.32

21.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.3 $79.3

$78.8 $78.8

0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$111 $111

4.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,893 $2,893

$2,761 $2,761

4.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,648 $2,648

$2,601 $2,601

1.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,700 $5,700

$4,188 $4,188

36.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,219 $4,219

$3,930 $3,930

7.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,235 $9,235

$9,419 $9,419

-1.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,116 $8,116

$8,717 $8,717

-6.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,594 $5,594

$8,757 $8,757

-36.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

6.48

-1.85%

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

Last update for Santa Cruz, CA: October 27, 2025

Last update for Pleasanton, CA: October 28, 2025

Similar cities

London

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

Copenhagen

🇩🇰 Denmark

Chicago, IL

🇺🇸 United States

Los Angeles, CA

🇺🇸 United States

Miami, FL

🇺🇸 United States

San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

Philadelphia, PA

🇺🇸 United States

Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States