Hello. I am a high school senior and I am currently deciding between Davis and Irvine. I was just wondering about the difference in living costs for these schools. I do plan to move out as a sophomore so I was just wondering which school has cheaper housing off campus. Also in general I heard Davis students commute by bikes and there is free bus transportation so transportation would be close to no cost. On the other hand, I know nothing about transportation in Irvine in general and if the area is expensive to live in and other stuff.
Here is a link to off campus housing and prices for UCI: https://offcampus.housing.uci.edu
Much easier to get around with a car if you attend UCI but I have no personal experience. Also consider parking fees.
UCD has a great bus transit system and of course the bikes. My son did not bring up his car until Junior year and even then, it was easier taking a bus or the bike to school.
Off campus housing for UCD: https://www.forrentuniversity.com/University-of-California-Davis?cmp=G-FRUUCDavisDSA&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9_P6oM2v2gIVhfhkCh0EKAoqEAAYBCAAEgJ-MPD_BwE
Son was able to share a 4 bedroom townhouse for $350.00/month at UCD.
For both UCI and UCD, costs will depend upon how many people in an apartment, but UCI will definitely be more expensive than UCD.
@Gumbymom Oooo ok thank you! Um I personally do not have a car and probably will be unable to afford one until after college, so considering that I will be without a car for 4 years, would Davis be a better fit in that aspect?
Davis would be a better fit in terms of transportation but have you visited? Small town vibe, very agricultural area but friendly and cooperative student community. Not the best fit for all students especially the location.
Davis is a very easy place to be a non-car owner.
@Gumbymom I have visited Davis and Irvine but like just vaguely to look around. What aspects should I think about when comparing these two campuses? Because I found both campuses pleasant but not one preferable to the other.
@NCalRent ooo ok thank you!
You can pretty much go anywhere within Davis by bike. I’ve even ridden into Woodland and Sacramento by bike. Off campus housing will be cheaper in Davis. UCI is a very nice campus as well, you’ll need to consider all factors and choose the best fit.
Davis is 20 minutes from West Sacramento where you will find the usual shopping centers, entertainment/activities, restaurants etc… that you would find in any city/suburb of California, but within the town of Davis, you have limited shopping (no shopping malls) but instead small boutique stores, Target, several grocery stores, plenty of restaurants, a couple movie theaters, bars, coffee houses and easily navigable with a bike or the bus system. As stated above, Woodland which has more stores such as Best Buy and Home Depot can be accessed by bike or bus.
UCI has a large shopping center across from campus, but biking or taking the bus anywhere farther will be difficult. There will be students with cars on campus so you could always find a ride if needed and I am sure there are Zip cars for rent. Housing will definitely be much more expensive and you will be limited if you do not have access to car for groceries/personal items etc…
If you really like Davis, then I think that is a better option for you if you are not able to have access or cannot afford to have a car.
I am not sure where you currently live but the Northern California “vibe” is very different than the Southern California “vibe”. I can make all recommendations you want, but you are the one that will be attending school and living there for the next 4 years. You are the one that needs to be happy.
@aggies1989 Ooo ok thank you! Do you mind telling me some of the other factors you considered personally in your decision making?
@Gumbymom I am actually from Norcal! (Bay Area) I have also been to Irvine a couple of times because i have family living down there. However I never paid attention to how i felt about the environment so do you mind telling me what are your personal opinions on the Socal vibe?? Norcal too but mostly socal because I already do live in Norcal. thanks !!
I am not a student but a parent, so my perspective may be very different. I personally like both campuses but they are very different.
When my sons and I toured UCI, I did not see as many smiling faces and very few people would stop and talk or say hi. We liked the beautiful, safe campus and how the buildings surround the Central Park area. Although there is a shopping/entertainment area across the street, it would require a car to get around to other places and parking was a huge issue in costs and availability.
When we went on the UC Davis tour, we saw many happy students that were willing to be helpful, answer our questions and would say hi in passing by. Although parking is an issue at any campus, the bus system and the use of bikes, makes getting around easier. The university is integrated into the town and it is very self contained so you can get pretty much everything you need without having a car.
My older knew right away that UCD would be a good fit for him since is slightly introverted and does have a hard time making friends. We did visit UCI a second time after he was accepted and although he did really like the campus, he felt it was not his best option in terms of major.
Since he went to UCD for Undergrad, we visited him many times and the vibe there was laid back, relaxed but competitive and cooperative. He did have a difficult Freshman year being away from home 6 hours (we are in Southern California) but he found his tribe and has loved the school ever since. He is currently looking at going back for Grad school since he decided to work a year to two and would love to remain in the area after Grad school.
As a parent, the Aggie Parent association has been great. Always keeping us informed about campus events, parent meet ups etc… My husband and I loved the Sacramento area so much, that we bought property close by and are planning to retire in the area. The biggest issue for us is the bad traffic all the time and the amount of open space in Southern California.
Since you are from Northern California and maybe the Bay Area, this might not be any different, but UCD was a breath of fresh air with open spaces, less traffic (although in town there is traffic) and a more relaxed attitude.
Another parent perspective:
Davis has more of a college community. Irvine has University Center across the street but isn’t really a college town. Davis is much larger (square footage) and more spread out. Irvine’s unique circular layout makes it a lot easier to walk from class to class.
Davis is in No Cal with more extreme weather. Irvine is in So Cal with more moderate weather
Davis’ community is a little more earthy while Irvine is a little more urban. For some reason, Irvine tends to attract a lot kids who are involved in Asian dance groups.
Irvine is an easy commuter school for those who live in southern California. A lot of students go home on the weekends so the campus is a little more quiet. Some really like that.
It may have just been our experience but Irvine seemed to have more rules, regulations and red tape whereas Davis seemed to have more resources to help undergraduates succeed.