City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 2.8% higher than in Santa Maria, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Santa Maria, CA would need about $102,800 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $2,459 in San Diego, CA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 40% in San Diego, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from San Diego, CA to Santa Maria, CA ($121,585 → $124,085), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,239 in Santa Maria | $102,839 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
48 Fair offer
Santa Maria, CA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, San Diego → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $71,957 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $87,061 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $104,349 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $124,085 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $146,632 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $101,030 | $103,898 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $158,290 | $162,784 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $91,610 | $94,211 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $137,360 | $141,260 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.