City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Santa Rosa, 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 Rosa, CA (107.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in San Luis Obispo, CA goes as far as $99,300 in Santa Rosa, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,155 a month in Santa Rosa, CA versus $1,914 in San Luis Obispo, CA. On $100,000, that's 35% of take-home pay in Santa Rosa, 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.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.2% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Santa Rosa, CA ($124,085 → $133,060), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much pricier)
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (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 Rosa, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 107.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,252 in Santa Rosa | $100,753 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $2,155/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% | 35% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $56,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 139.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 154.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 107.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Santa Rosa, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 Fair offer
Santa Rosa, CA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Santa Rosa, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Santa Rosa, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Rosa, CA | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $77,161 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $93,358 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $111,896 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $133,060 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $157,236 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Rosa, CA | Santa Rosa pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $99,060 | $99,806 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $148,630 | $149,750 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $94,690 | $95,403 (+8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $174,550 | $175,865 (+26.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.