Something Affordable in Santa Monica -- Used Cars

By Niki Cervantes
Staff Writer

April 25, 2018 -- From the price of a home to monthly rent and even a parking space, Santa Monica is known for being among the nation’s most expensive slices of seaside paradise.

But, as it turns out, the city is home to some good bargains -- if you’re looking for a used car.

In findings released Tuesday, AutoList.com found Santa Monica is the 16th most affordable place in California to buy a used vehicle this spring, with the average auto priced $743 less than the state average.

The average price for a used vehicle in California last month was $20,935, Auto List found.

The on-line platform aggregated listings from hundreds of websites, analyzing information from more than 4.5 million cars in active inventory (click for full report).

Compared to last year, Santa Monica actually slipped down the list of used-car affordability this spring, having made it to 12th place in 2017.

In any case, Santa Monica didn’t offer bargains that were even close to others on the list.

A used car in well-off Aliso Viejo (in Orange County) cost an average of $1,507 less than the California average.

Most of the localities with the lowest average costs for used cars were, in fact, among California’s most affluent.

Number two on the list was San Clemente, with average costs $1,184 below the state average, followed by Lake Forest, at $1,138 below the average.

Daly City (only semi-affluent) was in fourth place, with a used car costing an average of $1,116 less than the California average.

A used car in Laguna Niguel, fifth on the list, was $1,085 below the California average, Auto List said.

Conversely, lower-income California cities included by Auto List often had the costliest price tags.

In Chico, a Northern California city, the average cost of a used car was $2,322 more than the state average.

It was highest cost over average on the list of 211 cities.

Buyers in Lodi paid $1,249 above the statewide average.

In Stockton, used cars were $1,258 more on average and in Turlock$1,441, Auto List said.