Thinking about moving to Santa Monica? One of LA’s most desirable beach cities, Santa Monica offers walkable, coastal living — at a premium — for those who want the sand and a car-light lifestyle. This local guide covers the honest basics — cost of living, the best areas, getting around, and what locals wish they’d known — so you can plan your move with confidence.
Cost of living in Santa Monica
Santa Monica is expensive, among the priciest parts of LA, driven by its beach location and walkability. Areas farther from the sand (Sunset Park, Pico) offer relative value.
Best areas in Santa Monica
Downtown/Ocean Avenue for walkable, beach-close living; Ocean Park and Main Street for a village feel; North of Montana for leafy upscale streets; and Sunset Park/Pico for relative value. See our full guide to the best areas to live in Santa Monica for more detail.
Getting around Santa Monica
Unusually walkable and bikeable for LA, with the Expo Line to downtown — many residents rely less on a car here than elsewhere in the region, though traffic on the Westside is heavy.
What to know before moving to Santa Monica
It’s pricey and in-demand, the beach lifestyle and walkability are the draw, and Westside traffic is real. Weigh the cost against the coastal, low-car lifestyle.
Things to do once you arrive
Get a head start with our guide to the best things to do in Santa Monica.
What Santa Monica locals wish they’d known
The honest, current advice — which areas are worth it, the real commute, where to find community — comes from people who already made the move. On Neighborhood Nurturers’ Santa Monica community, real Santa Monica neighbors answer newcomers’ questions candidly. Join your Santa Monica neighbors free before you move →
Where this fits in Santa Monica
Newcomers get up to speed fastest by learning the neighborhoods and where locals actually go. The picks in this guide make the most sense once you know how Santa Monica is laid out. the Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park sit at the center of where locals actually spend their time, so planning settling in around one of them rarely goes wrong. When you want something calmer, the beach bike path pulls you away from the busiest blocks, and Tongva Park is the kind of spot regulars mention but visitors miss. Anchor your plan to one of those and the rest of the day in Santa Monica tends to fall into place.
More Santa Monica guides
Santa Monica rewards people who dig a little deeper. These related guides map the same neighborhoods from different starting points: Best neighborhoods in Santa Monica, Cost of living in Santa Monica, Things to do in Santa Monica — enough to plan a whole day or two.
Ask a Santa Monica neighbor
The best tips never make the guidebooks — they come from neighbors who know which spot is worth it this week. That is what the Santa Monica community on Neighborhood Nurturers is for. Ask Santa Monica locals what they would do, or join free and get honest answers from people who actually know Santa Monica.
Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Monica expensive to live in?
Yes — it’s among the priciest parts of LA, driven by its beach location and walkability. Areas farther from the sand like Sunset Park and Pico offer relative value.
What are the best areas to live in Santa Monica?
Downtown/Ocean Avenue for walkable, beach-close living; Ocean Park and Main Street for a village feel; North of Montana for leafy upscale streets; and Sunset Park/Pico for relative value. See our best-areas guide.
Do you need a car in Santa Monica?
Less than elsewhere in LA — it’s unusually walkable and bikeable with the Expo Line to downtown, though Westside traffic is heavy.
What should I know before moving to Santa Monica?
It’s pricey and in-demand, Westside traffic is real, and the payoff is a walkable, low-car beach lifestyle.