Well that depends on location and school. UCSF cost of living is much >> than that of UCLA or UCSD. I think the general trend is UCSF>>UCLA (depends where in L.A. Westwood/Santa Monica/coastal areas are all pricey)>UCSD (excluding La Jolla) > UCI > UC Davis
Near UCSF a 550 sq. ft. studio apt. can run up to about $1500/mo., and near UCLA in Westwood the going rate is about $1500 for one bedroom apt. and more in the coastal areas like Santa Monica, Marina del Rey, etc. Near UCSD (in La Jolla) the current rate is about $1400 for a one bedroom apt. However there are very affordable subsidized student housing options available at both UCLA and UCSD (don't know about UCSF), but the wait list can be long (around 1.5 yrs).
Generally the cost of living in other states are lower than that of coastal cities in CA. Mostly everyone in CA wants to live on the coast, so real estate there is much much higher than inland CA, which is why UC Davis cost of living is much cheaper than the other UC institutions! But after visiting NY and Boston, I'd say the cost of living in those cities is comparable, if not more expensive, than that of major CA cities like LA and San Diego, but not as much as SF.
You don't need to be a CA resident to live in CA (MSTP should cover out-of-state tuition/fee expenses), and your stipend should be within "liveable" measures. But you'll have to tolerate the smog, LA traffic, and the governator.
adoggie said:
Hey, do you people know how much more expensive housing is in California as opposed to other states? I think UCLA only covered the first few years, and most of the stipend would be used for housing.. which isn't that swell. Do you need to be a CA resident to live there or something?
