UC Santa Cruz Housing Costs

$5,646 Other Living Expenses Typical Cost

How Do Housing Costs Compare at UC Santa Cruz?

Do you know how much it will cost to live on campus? Check out how much extra living expenses are at University of California-Santa Cruz.

On this page you will find:

Outline of Housing Costs
Room & Board Trends and Total Expenses
Meal Plans and Housing Requirements
References

Living Expenses at UC Santa Cruz

This school charges students for housing and dining together as a bundle. The cost of living on campus for a typical student was about $19,948 in 2026. All told, the average on-campus student at University of California-Santa Cruz can expect to spend about $33,688 in 2026 for room, board, books and other living costs combined.

The following table outlines average expected costs for both on-campus and off-campus housing, meals and other expenses at University of California-Santa Cruz.

Expense	On Campus	Off Campus
Room and Board	$26,850	$27,398
— Housing	$19,948
— Meals	$6,902
Other Living Expenses	$5,646	$6,264
Books and Supplies	$1,192	$1,192
Total	$33,688	$34,854

Will You Spend Four Years On Campus? Projected Four-Year Cost: $152,627

The price of living on campus is rarely the same in your senior year as it was your first. Projecting the trend helps you plan for all four years instead of only the first.

The projected four-year total comes to about $152,627 in housing, food and other expenses.

Below is how room and board has changed across recent reported years — and where current trends point — at University of California-Santa Cruz.

Year	Room & Board
Three Years Ago	$22,608
Two Years Ago	$23,268
One Year Ago	$24,595
Most Recent Year (2026)	$26,850
One Year From Now *	$28,529
Two Years From Now *	$30,313
Three Years From Now *	$32,209
Four Years From Now *	$34,224

* estimated

Over the reported period, on-campus housing and dining changed about 6.3% each year. At the same pace next year, the total would be roughly $35,367 for their first year on campus.

Projected forward, the last year of a four-year degree runs about $41,062 for a four-year (bachelor’s) degree, and about $37,151 for the last year of an associate degree.

Over the entire degree (assuming you graduate on time), the total comes to about $152,627 for a bachelor’s, while two years would run about $72,518 for two years on campus.