on $100k a year, leaving Naples
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 Naples ran you
Santa Maria is the expensive option. The argument has to be entirely about the place, not the price.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
23% more expensive than Naples(vs $2,719/mo)
9.3%
$775/mo more in state tax than Naples
vs 0% in Naples
$4,206/mo
$1,408 less than Naples
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
56% more expensive than Naples
vs $679k in Naples
441k
vs 404k in Naples
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Naples barely cracks 261 pleasant ones.
59/100
2% higher than Naples
vs 58/100 in Naples
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
7% higher than Naples
vs 81/100 in Naples
2
94% fewer than Naples
vs 34 nonstops in Naples
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
