$100k salary, packing up from San Diego
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 San Diego
Santa Maria costs more than San Diego, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
16% more expensive than San Diego(vs $2,890/mo)
9.3%
vs 9.3% in San Diego
$4,206/mo
$462 less than San Diego
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
5% more expensive than San Diego
vs $1010k in San Diego
441k
vs 3.3M in San Diego
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
San Diego only logs 332 pleasant days.
Noticeably quieter than San Diego. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
59/100
21% lower than San Diego
vs 75/100 in San Diego
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
12% lower than San Diego
vs 99/100 in San Diego
2
96% fewer than San Diego
vs 55 nonstops in San Diego
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