$100k salary, packing up from San Francisco
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 Francisco
Santa Maria costs more than San Francisco, and you'll feel it. The upside has to come from somewhere other than your budget.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
7% more expensive than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)
9.3%
vs 9.3% in San Francisco
$4,206/mo
$206 less than San Francisco
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
15% cheaper than San Francisco
vs $1239k in San Francisco
441k
vs 4.6M in San Francisco
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
San Francisco only logs 312 pleasant days.
Lighter on events: San Francisco packs Infinity× more into a month.
59/100
29% lower than San Francisco
vs 83/100 in San Francisco
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
12% lower than San Francisco
vs 99/100 in San Francisco
2
98% fewer than San Francisco
vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco
cities that play in santa maria's register:
