$100k salary, packing up from Santa Maria

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San Francisco, CA cityscape

from santa maria

San Francisco

ca · metro 4.6M

photo: Andrew Whitmore / unsplash

a dispatch from

san francisco

CA

37.77°N

122.42°W

San Francisco is hills, fog, Mission burritos the size of forearms, and pastel Victorians stacked like dominoes. Karl the Fog has his own Instagram, the cable cars are still mechanically pulled by cables running under the street, and the Pacific shows up at the end of every west-bound avenue. The food is wildly good, the views are theatrical, and yes, you'll get cardio just walking to the corner store.

metro4.6M

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$206

below Santa Maria's monthly cost

The gap is real. San Francisco costs noticeably less than Santa Maria, every month.
landable, recorded on the san francisco entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,146/mo

6% cheaper than Santa Maria(vs $3,352/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

vs 9.3% in Santa Maria

03after rent

$4,412/mo

$206 more than Santa Maria

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$1239k

17% more expensive than Santa Maria

vs $1059k in Santa Maria

05metro size

4.6M

vs 441k in Santa Maria

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

312

pleasant days a year, in san francisco.

Santa Maria edges ahead with 337 pleasant days.

·outdoorscore

83/100

41% higher than Santa Maria

vs 59/100 in Santa Maria

Closest outdoor draw: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 1.5 mi.

·walk score®

99/100

14% higher than Santa Maria

vs 87/100 in Santa Maria

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

111

5450% more than Santa Maria

vs 2 nonstops in Santa Maria

04 · see also

same energy as san francisco, different zip code:

see also

san diego

$256/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

honolulu

$162/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

los angeles

$247/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare san francisco with:

San DiegoHonoluluLos Angeles