same $100k income, fresh start from Atlanta
changea dispatch from
santa maria
CA
34.95°N
120.44°W
Santa Maria has its own style of barbecue (tri-tip cooked over red oak with pinquito beans and salsa), which is a legitimate regional tradition that locals will fight you about. The surrounding Santa Maria Valley is becoming serious wine country (especially Pinot Noir and Chardonnay). It's quieter and more affordable than its central coast neighbors. The Pacific is right there.
in our guides
the verdict
more expensive each month than Atlanta
Santa Maria is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
85% more expensive than Atlanta(vs $1,814/mo)
9.3%
$318/mo more in state tax than Atlanta
vs 5.49% in Atlanta
$4,206/mo
$1,856 less than Atlanta
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
174% more expensive than Atlanta
vs $386k in Atlanta
441k
vs 6.3M in Atlanta
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Atlanta barely cracks 204 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Atlanta stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
12% lower than Atlanta
vs 67/100 in Atlanta
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
6% lower than Atlanta
vs 93/100 in Atlanta
2
99% fewer than Atlanta
vs 217 nonstops in Atlanta
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
