Santa Cruz County is significantly more expensive than other cities in the state. In southern California, Los Angeles costs $1,800 less, and further north, San Luis Obispo is about $1,000 more affordable than Santa Cruz. However, costs drop even more outside of the Bay Area; seniors in Sacramento, which is the state’s capital city, pay $5,395 per month — that’s $1,405 less. Those living in San Jose, about 30 miles to the northeast of Santa Cruz, can expect to pay $5,875 a month. Costs increase slightly toward the northwest in San Francisco, where city residents pay $6,100 per month. About 35 miles to the south, Salinas has the highest costs in the state; seniors here pay $7,100 per month, which is $300 more than their counterparts in Santa Cruz.