The small town of Angwin is surprisingly affordable once one considers that it’s located in California’s Napa Valley region — one of the most expensive places in the world to live. Concerts, rallies, sporting events, and just about any other form of entertainment are common calendar entries. But with Bethesda Christian University, a slew of for-profit universities, and some of the most popular community colleges in the region, Anaheim has a large student population and a fun, youthful vibe to it. Still, housing for students is plentiful, and for those who can hack it, the quality of living can’t be beat. 23. Costs for groceries, healthcare, and entertainment are all lower than the national norm. University of Redlands For college students, the decision about where and how to spend one’s money often comes down to cost vs. value. Methodology for Most Affordable Towns in California. California State University Chico We then used Sperling’s Best Places to rank each town on general affordability. How Do Small Class Sizes Affect Final Grades? Though located in Southern California and the greater Los Angeles area, Redlands is far from the glitz and glamor of La La Land or even coastal California. A commuter rail line and excellent bus service are easy options to save on transportation. Traffic doesn’t exist here like it does in so many other places in California — perhaps because cycling seems to be the preferred way to get around. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site. Unlike some other parts of California, Chico doesn’t vary much when it comes to weather — good news for those who prefer a Mediterranean climate practically year round. To figure out which college towns are most affordable, we looked at costs for housing, food, healthcare, transportation, and utilities, and compared them to the national and state averages. A variety of housing and a large student population means deals are to be found when it comes to finding a place to live. Indeed, housing is a whopping 594% higher than the national norm. (Like most places in California, housing costs are what is driving up Angwin’s cost of living). And the cost of living is pretty good, too! Undergrads in this Northern California … While Rohnert Park’s cost of living is about 4% lower than the state average, most of that has to do with the cost of housing. Rather, it’s one of many smaller towns that make up Inland Empire, a patchwork of developed communities that stretch east into the desert. University of California, Santa Cruz For one-bedroom apartments, this means average rents around $750 a month, or $6,750 for a school year. University of California Davis Seaside. Like so many other towns in San Diego County, San Marcos is the perfect address for those who enjoy both the city and outdoors. With college students and wealthy retirees making up the overwhelming majority of the population, Seaside can be a tough place to survive for those on a strict budget. California Polytechnic State University (CalPoly) Healthcare and entertainment costs are the most affordable of the necessities in Redlands, while groceries, utilities, and transportation each average just slightly more the national norm. Cost of Living: 96.4% above the national average; 27.8% above the state average Downtown SLO is chock full of fun restaurants and bars, boutiques, and entertainment venues. Riverside is the place to be these days! Indeed, housing averages only about 22% higher than the national average (and 171% lower than the state average). Cost of Living: 70.5% Higher than the National Average; 1.9% Higher than the State Average Located equidistant from Los Angeles and San Francisco is San Luis Obispo, a small town of 47,000 people that has been rightfully nicknamed the “happiest place on Earth” (sorry, Disneyland). We also considered features like amenities, crime rates, public transportation, and overall quality of life before narrowing our list down to the 20 most affordable college towns in California. University of California Berkeley California State University Monterey Bay Cost of Living: 187.5% Higher than the National Average; 118.9% Higher than the State Average Like so many other places in California, San Diego’s cost of living is above that of the national average. The Golden State is easily one of the most expensive states in the nation, yet between the beaches and mountains, vineyards and top-notch restaurants, Disneyland and ski resorts, it’s also high on quality of life. Cost of Living: 21.1% Higher than the National Average; 47.5% Lower than the State Average Housing averages 71% higher than the national norm, but 122% lower than the state norm. Easy access to some of the best beaches in California makes a day near the water a breeze, while much of Monterey’s extensive network of hiking, walking, and cycling paths passes through Seaside. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. And if Berkeley doesn’t happen to have it? UC San Diego, University of San Diego, San Diego State University, Despite housing costs that average 215% higher than the national average, food, healthcare, utilities, and entertainment (Disneyland, anyone?) Food and entertainment average only slightly above. Though housing is more than triple the national average, plenty of housing options are available. Indeed, this place has it all: People living in Santa Cruz won’t be paying much more than the rest of the country for things like utilities, food, entertainment, and healthcare costs. Although California is home to some of the most expensive places to live in the country, students at Simpson University are getting a deal. California State University San Marcos, Palomar College, San Elijo College Overall, living in Riverside costs 21% less than living most elsewhere in California, with the lowest costs being healthcare, utilities, entertainment, and groceries. Cost of Living: 36.4% Higher than the National Average; 32.2% Lower than the State Average California State University Monterey Bay Cost of Living: 51.3% Higher than the National Average; 17.3% Lower than the State Average With college students and wealthy retirees making up the overwhelming majority of the population, Seaside can be a tough place to survive for those on … greatcollegedeals.net is an advertising-supported site. 20 Best Deals on Colleges for High Achievers, 20 Best Deals on Native American Studies Programs, 20 Best Deals on Small Intellectual Colleges, 20 Best Deals on Small Colleges for Politically Active Students, 20 Best Deals on Small Colleges for Secularists, 20 Best Deals: Small Colleges for Athletic Types, 20 Best Deals: Small Colleges for Social Types, 20 Deals: Small Colleges for Environmentally-minded, 50 Best Deals on Competitive Small Colleges, Best Online RN to BSN Programs: Top 20 Deals, Online Accounting Masters Degree: 20 Best Deals, 10 Veteran Scholarships for Graduate School (PhD), 20 Great PhD Grants for Education and Teaching, 20 Great Doctoral Scholarships for African American Females and Males, 20 Great Doctoral Scholarships in Education, 20 Great PhD Scholarships for International Students, 20 Great Scholarships for Master’s in Education, 5 Tips to Make a Degree from a Small College Affordable, 5 Ways Collegiate Sports Positively Impact Your College Years.