with $100k coming in, swapping out of Salinas
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 expensive each month than Salinas
Santa Maria costs more than Salinas, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
19% more expensive than Salinas(vs $2,813/mo)
9.3%
vs 9.3% in Salinas
$4,206/mo
$539 less than Salinas
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
23% more expensive than Salinas
vs $862k in Salinas
441k
vs 431k in Salinas
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Salinas only logs 335 pleasant days.
59/100
17% lower than Salinas
vs 71/100 in Salinas
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
10% higher than Salinas
vs 79/100 in Salinas
2
67% fewer than Salinas
vs 6 nonstops in Salinas
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
compare santa maria with:
