$100k salary, packing up from Melbourne
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 Melbourne
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
77% more expensive than Melbourne(vs $1,895/mo)
9.3%
$775/mo more in state tax than Melbourne
vs 0% in Melbourne
$4,206/mo
$2,232 less than Melbourne
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
202% more expensive than Melbourne
vs $351k in Melbourne
441k
vs 644k in Melbourne
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Melbourne barely cracks 254 pleasant ones.
59/100
7% higher than Melbourne
vs 55/100 in Melbourne
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
4% higher than Melbourne
vs 84/100 in Melbourne
2
0% fewer than Melbourne
vs 2 nonstops in Melbourne
if santa maria appeals, also worth a look:
