2025 Compare Cities Cost of Living:
Charlotte, NC vs Santa Barbara, CA

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Highlights
Is it cheaper to live in Santa Barbara or is it cheaper to live in Charlotte?
- Santa Barbara is 50.9% more expensive than Charlotte.

Which city has more affordable housing, Santa Barbara or Charlotte?
- Santa Barbara housing costs are 361.5% more expensive than Charlotte housing costs.

Is Health Care more affordable in Charlotte or is Health Care more affordable in Santa Barbara.
- Health related expenses are 19.2% more in Santa Barbara.
 Charlotte, NCSanta Barbara, CAUnited States
 Overall  Unlock154.7100
 Food & Groceries99.2  Unlock100
 Health  Unlock113.2100
 Housing103.3  Unlock100
 Median Home Cost  Unlock$1,525,500$338,100
 Utilities98  Unlock100
 Transportation  Unlock97.0100
 Miscellaneous110.3  Unlock100
100 = National Average (Below 100 means cheaper than the US average. Above 100 means more expensive.)
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Reviews for Charlotte    305 Reviews

My favorite city to live year round with 4 seasons. We love Charlotte  More

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Over 3 years ago

This city has a lot of potential, but it could use some work. For example, it seems to lack things that other cities have. And there is a lack of atmosphere and charm.  More

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Over 4 years ago

Very new transplant (~6 weeks) so first impressions and reasons why I moved here: -great year-round weather, if you don't mind humidity-- less hot in summer than TX/AZ  More

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Reviews for Santa Barbara    51 Reviews

I moved to Santa Barbara around 23 years ago to study at Brooks, which like most of the Santa Barbara that I knew—has been destroyed. Homelessness, drugs, gangs, high  More

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Over 4 years ago

I fell in love with Santa Barbara about thirty years ago and finally moved here a few years ago. Because of the price of homes, it is an expensive place to live. The  More

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If you like high crime, paying a $4,500 a month mortgage and crazy high taxes, this is the place for you. It’s too bad because it wasn’t always like this. When I moved  More

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