with $100k coming in, swapping out of Myrtle Beach
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
the monthly premium over Myrtle Beach
Santa Maria doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what Santa Maria is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
94% more expensive than Myrtle Beach(vs $1,727/mo)
9.3%
$233/mo more in state tax than Myrtle Beach
vs 6.5% in Myrtle Beach
$4,206/mo
$1,859 less than Myrtle Beach
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
193% more expensive than Myrtle Beach
vs $361k in Myrtle Beach
441k
vs 397k in Myrtle Beach
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Myrtle Beach barely cracks 249 pleasant ones.
But the calendar thins out: Myrtle Beach stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
2% higher than Myrtle Beach
vs 58/100 in Myrtle Beach
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
58% higher than Myrtle Beach
vs 55/100 in Myrtle Beach
2
91% fewer than Myrtle Beach
vs 23 nonstops in Myrtle Beach
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
