$100k a year, no longer in Tampa
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 Tampa
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
68% more expensive than Tampa(vs $1,996/mo)
9.3%
$775/mo more in state tax than Tampa
vs 0% in Tampa
$4,206/mo
$2,131 less than Tampa
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$1059k
183% more expensive than Tampa
vs $374k in Tampa
441k
vs 3.3M in Tampa
field notes, weather & such.
337
pleasant days a year, in santa maria.
Tampa only logs 243 pleasant days.
100% fewer events than Tampa. The pace eases up.
59/100
5% lower than Tampa
vs 62/100 in Tampa
Closest outdoor draw: Channel Islands National Park, 73 mi.
87/100
5% lower than Tampa
vs 92/100 in Tampa
2
97% fewer than Tampa
vs 68 nonstops in Tampa
in the same ballpark as santa maria:
