Santa Monica

Median rents in Santa Monica
Studio
$
1 Bedroom
$
2 Bedroom
$

Living in
Santa Monica

Santa Monica — 8.6/10 Rating (based on 44 neighborhood reviews)
Santa Monica is a great place for young-ish (>25 y/o) professionals. There are so many restaurants and bars within walking distance, and of course the beach and beach weather can't be beat. The streets are tree-lined and many have bike lanes.

Rent can be expensive (though you can find deals if you look) and there aren't as many cheap food places/food trucks as in other Westside LA neighborhoods.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1253 26th St
Best neighborhood in LA in my opinion.

Pros: So much dining, shopping, nightlife, etc. Short walk from the ocean Public transit Cons: A bit far from campus (30-60+ mins) Traffic during rush hours is significant Some transient population, but less than other neighborhoods
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Lugano
At most it is a 25 minute commute and 15 on most days. I can run on the beach, go to great restaurants and bars, and have the whole LA experience. If at all possible, I would live in SM and stay in SM the entire time you are in LA.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
900 Euclid st
Very walkable neighborhood with many restaurants and shops. Great access to public transit lines, bike infrastructure, and highways. Pretty much anything you would want is within walking distance. Close to the beach.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1843 7th St.
We are less than a block from a Trader Joes and 1.5 blocks from a Whole Foods. We can get to the beach easily but are far enough away from the beach to avoid tourist traffic. The location is fantastic.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1236 24th. St. Apt. B
What's there not to like about Santa Monica? Its very safe, clean, and close to the beach. The only downside is getting anywhere closer to downtown LA can be a struggle during rush hour traffic.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1018 9th Street, Apt. 4
It's great. I love Santa Monica's walkability and weather (cooler than downtown!). Also great access to restaurants and the metro.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
N/A
Outstanding neighborhood to live in. Quiet and very walkable, but still close to all the best parts of living in West LA.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
N/A
I absolutely love living in Santa Monica. I have also lived in Culver City and Westwood and Santa Monica is my top place to live in LA so far. There are a ton of grocery stores in the area, one only two blocks away from my apartment. There are a great variety of grocery stores (Vons, Pavilions, Whole Foods, Bristol Farms) close by... but no Trader Joes. The area is very safe and the neighborhood is friendly. The commute to campus is not bad, only about 15-20 minutes, unless you have to go to campus between 5-7 pm and then it can take up to 50 minutes. Its also cool to be so close to the beach that you can walk there. There are a bunch of restaurants, juice bars, lounges, bars, etc in the area. I have been living in Santa Monica for over 2 years now and still have many places to try out!
Keep reading
Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1044 Euclid Street
Tons to do, close to the beach, easy commute to school and great proximity to most school events.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Livorno
Great, walking distance (or short Uber) to almost everything in Santa Monica.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Catherine Santa Monica
Sawtelle is safe and there is a lot of good food nearby.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Rose
One of the most walkable and fun neighborhoods in LA.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Livorno
It's nice. There are some bars and restaurants on Wilshire, close to Sawtelle, and there is a lot going on on San Vicente it is just a bit more pricey. I probably would not chose this neighborhood if I was not going to UCLA
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Brentwood Plaza
Great neighborhood walking distance to grocery stores like Trader Joe’s, many restaurants and bars in Santa Monica, and a mile from little Tokyo in Sawtelle.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
C on Pico
The closer to the beach you are, the better. There are a lot of homeless people around but they have never bothered me. The drive is not too long to campus, and being able to walk to the beach, shops, bars, restaurants, and to groceries makes up for it. Anything 1-7 streets up between the Santa Monica Pier up to Venice Beach will be a cool place to live.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1930 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica
Walking distance to 3rd street promenade and ocean.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
NMS 1548
Centrally located in West La. Close to Brentwood, Santa Monica, Westwood, Sawtelle, Culver.

A decent amount of homeless people but not at the Venice level.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1233 S Westgate Ave
Sawtelle is conveniently located for getting to school, and there are a lot of bars within walking distance or a short uber ride
Keep reading
Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Brockton Manor
nice area
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1002 12th St.
Not much to do in Brentwood. West Hollywood is more interesting.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Barry Hill
Very fun. Lots of traffic and tourists though
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Broadway Plaza
Santa Monica is an amazing place to live from a lifestyle perspective, with tons of retail and food easily available. It is relatively safe not-withstanding LA's known homeless population, and I live in an area close to Sawtelle so it's easy to meet up with classmates. There is a price premium and it does take a little longer to get to class, but I think it's worth it.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Independent Apartment
This apartment is south of downtown Santa Monica, closer to Venice. Personally I like this because you're in a quieter neighborhood but within walking distance to all the action. There is a Vons within walking distance and several others within 10 min driving.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Avalon Santa Monica on Main
Awesome neighborhood. Walking distance to 3rd st promenade, tons of restaurants, bars, shops, etc. Walkability score of 98. Quick drive to Santa Monica mountains and a bunch of hiking/biking trails. Walking distance to beach.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Riva 1410 SM
Really easy access to most of Santa Monica, but the street is quiet and not as packed as most of Santa Monica is. Lot of restaurants and bars right up the street for a decent walk. Fairly easy access to UCLA.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1659 Franklin St.
Close to the beach, close to the promenade. Many bars and restaurants in the area. There is however a homelessness problem in the area, but I don't think it's worse than in the rest of LA necessarily.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Santa Monica Sandpiper
Sawtelle is great neighborhood for undergrad and grad students. It's very lively, with an abundance of restaurants and bars of all price ranges.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Barry Hill
I live in a safe, beautiful, and convenient neighborhood. Walking distance to multiple grocery stores, shops, and restaurants.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
N/A
The neighborhood is very affordable. With roommates you can easily afford almost any newer apartment building as a grad student. It is also close to campus - really pays off when you have a 4 PM class and you need to get to school during rush hour. Also many fellow Anderson students live in the area which is nice.

Being close to Santa Monica is amazing. You really could take a break during the day and go to an amazing beach for a couple hours. Very few locations offer that. I wish the neighborhood was more walkable. Driving/parking during lunch and dinner rushes is a nightmare.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Armacost Manor
Love being near the beach. Santa Monica is so cute and the streets feel so homey and residential.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
1825 Euclid Street
Great neighborhood, great location. Wouldn't trade living this close to the beach for anything.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Santa Monica Sandpiper
It's a fun place with the beach and great restaurants in walking distance.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
607 Marine St
Love my neighborhood!! Main motivator for moving here.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
132 Strand St.
Convenient, safe, rich in social life, comfortable.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Santa Monica Private Apartment
Brentwood is an affluent and friendly neighborhood. There is a mix of 20-somethings and young families. San Vicente Blvd is the "main street" of Brentwood with lots of coffee shops. It's pretty quiet in terms of nightlife.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
11804 Kiowa Ave
Great neighborhood. Good food nearby, plus its within a few miles of anywhere you'd want to be on the west side.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Barry Hill
Very safe and nice neighborhood with ease of access to public transportation.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
9
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Barrington Kiowa
It's close to campus and bars that UCLA students go to, so it's not too bad. If I could live in Santa Monica, Venice, WeHo, KTown, or a few other spots, I'd probably want to check those out.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Rose
Great neighborhood, close to Sawtelle too. However, it could take up to 50 minutes to drive to school during rush hours. Normally it takes about 15-20 minutes.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Barry Hill
Expensive neighborhood, pretty to walk through but not many good food options nearby and demographically very white
Keep reading
Reviewed by
7
/10
Neighborhood Rating
11660 Mayfield Ave
Residential and worn down near Santa Monica boulevard. Decent restaurants and bars.
Keep reading
Reviewed by
6
/10
Neighborhood Rating
The Rose
Good food! Not the most walkable, but it's improving
Keep reading
Reviewed by
8
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Barry Hill
Great area close to UCLA
Keep reading
Reviewed by
10
/10
Neighborhood Rating
Brockton Manor


Getting to Know
Santa Monica

Neighborhood Boundaries
What Santa Monica Residents Think About Their Apartments
overall
8.0
value
7.7
amenities
6.0
social
7.7
management
7.0

Best Apartments
in Santa Monica

Catherine Santa Monica Phase I
Studio $3,469
1 Bed $4,119
2 Beds $4,909

Check availability
Dorothy Westwind
2 Beds $2,950

Check availability
29 Navy
Studio $3,000

Check availability
Elevate

Check availability
1334 S Carmelina Ave

Check availability
The BW
1 Bed $3,310
2 Beds $4,130
3 Beds $6,530

Check availability