same $100k income, fresh start from Columbia
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 Columbia
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Columbia. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
116% more expensive than Columbia(vs $1,551/mo)
9.3%
$233/mo more in state tax than Columbia
vs 6.5% in Columbia
$4,206/mo
$2,035 less than Columbia
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
315% more expensive than Columbia
vs $255k in Columbia
441k
vs 857k in Columbia
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Columbia only manages 189 of those.
Noticeably quieter than Columbia. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
7% higher than Columbia
vs 55/100 in Columbia
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
2% higher than Columbia
vs 85/100 in Columbia
2
80% fewer than Columbia
vs 10 nonstops in Columbia
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
