on $100k a year, leaving Buffalo
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 each month than Buffalo ran you
A real premium for Santa Maria. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
144% more expensive than Buffalo(vs $1,374/mo)
9.3%
$287/mo more in state tax than Buffalo
vs 5.85% in Buffalo
$4,206/mo
$2,266 less than Buffalo
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
279% more expensive than Buffalo
vs $280k in Buffalo
441k
vs 1.2M in Buffalo
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Buffalo keeps to 152 pleasant days a year.
Buffalo hosts Infinity× more events.
59/100
11% lower than Buffalo
vs 66/100 in Buffalo
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
4% lower than Buffalo
vs 91/100 in Buffalo
2
90% fewer than Buffalo
vs 20 nonstops in Buffalo
in the same ballpark as santa maria:
