San Bruno, CA vs Laguna Hills, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Laguna Hills, CA has a modeled overall cost index 9.8% higher than San Bruno, CA.

San Bruno, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $3,520 / month
Laguna Hills, 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 San Bruno, CA and Laguna Hills, 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 San Bruno, CA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $179/month in Laguna Hills, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $152,147 in Laguna Hills, CA

Regional cost estimates: San Bruno, CA uses Oakland, CA. Laguna Hills, CA uses Irvine, CA. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 9.8%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$179

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$2.1K

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.

San Bruno, CA

Population:41K

Cost Index:

156.5

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.26M

Laguna Hills, CA

Population:30K

Cost Index:

171.9

100 = national average

Typical Home:$1.23M

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San Bruno, CA

The Golden State

41K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 41K residents.

Laguna Hills, CA

The Golden State

30K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 30K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: San Bruno, CA vs Laguna Hills, 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	San Bruno, CA	Laguna Hills, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,680/mo	$4,047/mo	↑ $367more	10.0%
Healthcare	$432/mo	$338/mo	↓ $94.61less	21.9%
Other	$1,118/mo	$1,029/mo	↓ $88.70less	7.9%
Groceries	$709/mo	$636/mo	↓ $73.04less	10.3%
All Utilities	$274/mo	$341/mo	↑ $67.06more	24.5%
Transportation	$1,286/mo	$1,288/mo	↑ $1.38more	0.1%

Housing

↑ 10.0%

San Bruno, CA

$3,680

Laguna Hills, CA

$4,047

Difference

$367

Healthcare

↓ 21.9%

San Bruno, CA

$432

Laguna Hills, CA

$338

Difference

$94.61

less

Other

↓ 7.9%

San Bruno, CA

$1,118

Laguna Hills, CA

$1,029

Difference

$88.70

less

Groceries

↓ 10.3%

San Bruno, CA

$709

Laguna Hills, CA

$636

Difference

$73.04

less

All Utilities

↑ 24.5%

San Bruno, CA

$274

Laguna Hills, CA

$341

Difference

$67.06

Transportation

↑ 0.1%

San Bruno, CA

$1,286

Laguna Hills, CA

$1,288

Difference

$1.38

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$2,430

To$2,960

↑ $530

1 Bed

From$2,910

To$3,030

↑ $120

2 Bed

From$3,520

To$3,570

↑ $50.00

3 Bed

From$4,500

To$4,850

↑ $350

San Bruno, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $2,910–$2,910/mo

Laguna Hills, 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 San Bruno, CA

$7,679

Monthly in Laguna Hills, CA

$179

Difference

Home Values

San Bruno

Laguna Hills

$1.26M

Median Value

$1.23M

↓ -0.9%

YoY Change

↓ -3%

↑ +15.6%

5-Year Change

↑ +50.9%

Homes in Laguna Hills are 2% less expensive than San Bruno

Calculate payment - San Bruno Calculate payment - Laguna Hills

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

San Bruno, 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

Laguna Hills, 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

San Bruno, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

Laguna Hills, 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

San Bruno

Laguna Hills

49 Good

Air Quality

54 Moderate

53%

Good Air Days

32.5%

100 Very High

Climate Risk

100 Very High

🔥🌊🌅

Top Hazards

🔥🌊🌅

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

▲+1.9°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.3°F

2 days

Heat Days >95°F

5 days

Before moving from San Bruno, CA to Laguna Hills, CA

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

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Laguna Hills, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in San Bruno, 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 San Bruno to Laguna Hills moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

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

Frequently Asked Questions: San Bruno, CA vs Laguna Hills, CA

How do the cost estimates for San Bruno, CA and Laguna Hills, CA compare?

Laguna Hills, CA has a modeled overall cost index 9.8% higher than San Bruno, 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 San Bruno, CA, the model estimates $152,147 in Laguna Hills, 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 San Bruno, CA and Laguna Hills, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $3,520/month in San Bruno, CA and $3,570/month in Laguna Hills, 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.