on $100k a year, leaving Birmingham
changea 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.
in our guides
of 10
Most walkable cities in America
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Best cities for live music and arts
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Best cities with mild winters
read the guidethe verdict
more each month than Birmingham ran you
San Luis Obispo costs noticeably more than Birmingham. You'd be paying for San Luis Obispo itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,095/mo
120% more expensive than Birmingham(vs $1,407/mo)
9.3%
$358/mo more in state tax than Birmingham
vs 5% in Birmingham
$4,463/mo
$2,047 less than Birmingham
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$934k
259% more expensive than Birmingham
vs $261k in Birmingham
282k
vs 1.2M in Birmingham
field notes, weather & such.
303
pleasant days a year, in san luis obispo.
Birmingham only manages 171 of those.
Birmingham hosts 9.0× more events.
68/100
11% higher than Birmingham
vs 61/100 in Birmingham
Closest outdoor draw: Montaña de Oro State Park, 6.7 mi.
98/100
24% higher than Birmingham
vs 79/100 in Birmingham
3
85% fewer than Birmingham
vs 20 nonstops in Birmingham
neighbors of san luis obispo on the map of tradeoffs:
