City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in San Luis Obispo, CA (108.6) and Santa Maria, CA (108.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in San Luis Obispo, CA goes as far as $100,200 in Santa Maria, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,914 in San Luis Obispo, CA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 31% in San Luis Obispo, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $124,085 in either. A transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Santa Maria, CA changes real buying power by −0.2%, purely from prices.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (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 Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,186 in Santa Maria | $99,814 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/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 | 31% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Santa Maria, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
39 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $71,957 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $87,061 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $104,349 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $124,085 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $146,632 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $101,030 | $100,842 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $158,290 | $157,996 (+17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $91,610 | $91,440 (+3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $137,360 | $137,105 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.