same $100k income, fresh start from Albuquerque

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San Luis Obispo, CA cityscape

if you left albuquerque

San Luis Obispo

ca · metro 282k

photo: Juan Montes / pexels

a dispatch from

san luis obispo

CA

35.28°N

120.66°W

San Luis Obispo (SLO to locals) sits halfway between LA and San Francisco on the central coast, with Cal Poly students, gorgeous wine country (Edna Valley and Paso Robles nearby), and a Thursday night farmers market that takes over downtown. It's been called the happiest city in America (multiple studies, Oprah included), and the vibe really does back that up. Bubblegum Alley is exactly what it sounds like. Mellow and beautiful.

metro282k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$1,890

more expensive each month than Albuquerque

A real premium for San Luis Obispo. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
landable, recorded on the san luis obispo entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,095/mo

108% more expensive than Albuquerque(vs $1,489/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$283/mo more in state tax than Albuquerque

vs 5.9% in Albuquerque

03after rent

$4,463/mo

$1,890 less than Albuquerque

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

04a house here

$934k

166% more expensive than Albuquerque

vs $351k in Albuquerque

05metro size

282k

vs 924k in Albuquerque

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

303

pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.

Albuquerque keeps to 205 pleasant days a year.

But the calendar thins out: Albuquerque stays 4.2× busier.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

68/100

16% lower than Albuquerque

vs 81/100 in Albuquerque

Closest outdoor draw: Montaña de Oro State Park, 6.7 mi.

·walk score®

98/100

4% higher than Albuquerque

vs 94/100 in Albuquerque

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

87% fewer than Albuquerque

vs 23 nonstops in Albuquerque

04 · see also

neighbors of san luis obispo on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

oxnard

$100/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

honolulu

$111/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

naples

$1,151/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare san luis obispo with:

OxnardHonoluluNaples