If you’re heading to Santa Monica College and starting to think about where you’ll actually live, here’s what you need to know before you start touring places.

Whether you need a car near Santa Monica College depends almost entirely on which neighborhood you choose — here’s what’s actually available.

Public transit and campus shuttles

the LA Metro E (Expo) Line ends at Santa Monica, with a station named for SMC itself, plus the local Big Blue Bus system covering the whole city.

Biking

Biking is worth seriously considering near Santa Monica College, especially if you’re in one of the closer-in neighborhoods — check the terrain and traffic patterns of your specific route before committing to it as your main way to get to class, since conditions vary a lot block to block.

Parking, if you do have a car

Street parking and permits near campus are usually more limited and more expensive than incoming students expect — factor a parking permit or garage cost into your budget if you’re planning to bring a car, rather than assuming free street parking will be available.

The honest tradeoff

Living further from Santa Monica College usually means needing a car (and paying for gas, insurance, and parking) to make up for the commute. Living closer usually means paying more rent but being able to skip the car entirely. Neither is objectively right — it depends on whether you’d rather pay in rent or in transportation costs.

Filter listings near Santa Monica College by neighborhood on RentNova if transit access is a top priority for your search.