on $100k a year, leaving Columbus
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 Columbus ran you
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Columbus. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
165% more expensive than Columbus(vs $1,264/mo)
9.3%
$318/mo more in state tax than Columbus
vs 5.49% in Columbus
$4,206/mo
$2,406 less than Columbus
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
409% more expensive than Columbus
vs $208k in Columbus
441k
vs 329k in Columbus
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Columbus only manages 177 of those.
Noticeably quieter than Columbus. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
26% higher than Columbus
vs 47/100 in Columbus
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
12% higher than Columbus
vs 78/100 in Columbus
2
100% more than Columbus
vs 1 nonstops in Columbus
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
