Costa Mesa, CA vs Lake Forest, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Lake Forest, CA has a modeled overall cost index 16.9% higher than Costa Mesa, CA.

Costa Mesa, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,400 / month
Lake Forest, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,570 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Costa Mesa, CA and Lake Forest, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Costa Mesa, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $865/month in Lake Forest, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $160,378 in Lake Forest, CA

Regional cost estimates: Costa Mesa, CA uses Santa Ana, CA. Lake Forest, CA uses Irvine, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 16.9%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$865

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$10.4K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Costa Mesa, CA

Population:108K

Cost Index:

150.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.35M

Lake Forest, CA

Population:86K

Cost Index:

176.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.15M

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Costa Mesa, CA

The Golden State

108K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 108K residents.

Lake Forest, CA

The Golden State

86K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 86K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Costa Mesa, CA vs Lake Forest, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Costa Mesa, CA	Lake Forest, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,536/mo	$4,417/mo	↑ $881more	24.9%
Transportation	$1,413/mo	$1,406/mo	↓ $7.05less	0.5%
Other	$1,129/mo	$1,123/mo	↓ $5.63less	0.5%
Groceries	$688/mo	$686/mo	↓ $1.72less	0.2%
All Utilities	$369/mo	$368/mo	↓ $0.92less	0.2%
Healthcare	$365/mo	$364/mo	↓ $0.91less	0.2%

Housing

↑ 24.9%

Costa Mesa, CA

$3,536

Lake Forest, CA

$4,417

Difference

$881

Transportation

↓ 0.5%

Costa Mesa, CA

$1,413

Lake Forest, CA

$1,406

Difference

$7.05

less

Other

↓ 0.5%

Costa Mesa, CA

$1,129

Lake Forest, CA

$1,123

Difference

$5.63

less

Groceries

↓ 0.2%

Costa Mesa, CA

$688

Lake Forest, CA

$686

Difference

$1.72

less

All Utilities

↓ 0.2%

Costa Mesa, CA

$369

Lake Forest, CA

$368

Difference

$0.92

less

Healthcare

↓ 0.2%

Costa Mesa, CA

$365

Lake Forest, CA

$364

Difference

$0.91

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,815

To$2,960

↑ $145

1 Bed

From$2,885

To$3,030

↑ $145

2 Bed

From$3,400

To$3,570

↑ $170

3 Bed

From$4,615

To$4,850

↑ $235

Costa Mesa, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,710–$3,060/mo

Lake Forest, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $3,030–$3,030/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Costa Mesa, CA

$8,365

Monthly in Lake Forest, CA

$865

Difference

Home Values

Costa Mesa

Lake Forest

$1.35M

Median Value

$1.15M

↑ +2.5%

YoY Change

↓ -2.4%

↑ +50.2%

5-Year Change

↑ +50.4%

$1.32M - $1.37M

Price Range

$1.15M

Homes in Lake Forest are 14% less expensive than Costa Mesa

Calculate payment - Costa Mesa Calculate payment - Lake Forest

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

→ $0

Same taxes

Monthly Difference

Same take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.0%

Rate difference

Costa Mesa, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Lake Forest, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Costa Mesa, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Lake Forest, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Costa Mesa

Lake Forest

54 Moderate

Air Quality

54 Moderate

32.5%

Good Air Days

32.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌅

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

12 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

▲+2.6°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

12 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

Before moving from Costa Mesa, CA to Lake Forest, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Lake Forest, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Costa Mesa, CA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Costa Mesa to Lake Forest moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Lake Forest, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Costa Mesa, CA vs Lake Forest, CA

How do the cost estimates for Costa Mesa, CA and Lake Forest, CA compare?

Lake Forest, CA has a modeled overall cost index 16.9% higher than Costa Mesa, CA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Costa Mesa, CA, the model estimates $160,378 in Lake Forest, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Costa Mesa, CA and Lake Forest, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,400/month in Costa Mesa, CA and $3,570/month in Lake Forest, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.