City comparison
Rancho Santa Margarita, CA is about 50 miles (80 km) from Redondo Beach, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 60 miles, or about 1 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Rancho Santa Margarita, CA to Redondo Beach, CA takes about 6 min, covering roughly 50 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Redondo Beach has a population of 70,620, vs 47,702 in Rancho Santa Margarita — about 1.5× larger by population. By land area, Rancho Santa Margarita covers about 13 sq mi vs 6.2 sq mi for Redondo Beach.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Rancho Santa Margarita | Redondo Beach | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,441/mo | $2,464/mo | 0.9% higher in Redondo Beach |
| Median home value | $861,100 | $1,192,300 | 38.5% higher in Redondo Beach |
| Median household income | $150,146 | $134,033 | 12.0% higher in Rancho Santa Margarita |
| Groceries index | 106.4 | 106.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 155.6 | 155.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.4 | 104.4 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.3 | 104.3 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Rancho Santa Margarita, you'd need $100,051 in Redondo Beach to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Rancho Santa Margarita and Redondo Beach have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Rancho Santa Margarita, you'd need about $80,041 in Redondo Beach to keep the same standard of living.