on $100k a year, leaving Savannah
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
pricier each month than Savannah
Santa Maria costs noticeably more than Savannah. You'd be paying for Santa Maria itself, not for breathing room around it.
a quick ledger.
$3,352/mo
89% more expensive than Savannah(vs $1,770/mo)
9.3%
$318/mo more in state tax than Savannah
vs 5.49% in Savannah
$4,206/mo
$1,900 less than Savannah
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
203% more expensive than Savannah
vs $349k in Savannah
441k
vs 425k in Savannah
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Savannah only manages 209 of those.
But the calendar thins out: Savannah stays Infinity× busier.
59/100
13% higher than Savannah
vs 52/100 in Savannah
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
3% lower than Savannah
vs 90/100 in Savannah
2
85% fewer than Savannah
vs 13 nonstops in Savannah
neighbors of santa maria on the map of tradeoffs:
