with $100k coming in, swapping out of Chicago
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
pricier each month than Chicago
Santa Maria is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
54% more expensive than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
9.3%
$363/mo more in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$4,206/mo
$1,545 less than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
190% more expensive than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
441k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Chicago only logs 153 pleasant days.
Chicago hosts Infinity× more events.
59/100
16% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
13% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
2
99% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
