same $100k income, fresh start from Los Angeles
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 Los Angeles
Santa Maria costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
16% more expensive than Los Angeles(vs $2,899/mo)
9.3%
vs 9.3% in Los Angeles
$4,206/mo
$453 less than Los Angeles
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
3% more expensive than Los Angeles
vs $1029k in Los Angeles
441k
vs 12.8M in Los Angeles
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Los Angeles only manages 283 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Los Angeles stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
12% lower than Los Angeles
vs 67/100 in Los Angeles
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
9% lower than Los Angeles
vs 96/100 in Los Angeles
2
99% fewer than Los Angeles
vs 150 nonstops in Los Angeles
same energy as santa maria, different zip code:
