Cost of Living: San Diego, CA vs Santa Maria, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in San Diego, CA versus $3,974/mo in Santa Maria, CA. In the model, rent is about 32.4% of gross in San Diego, CA versus 26.85% in Santa Maria, CA, so Santa Maria, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Diego, CA and Santa Maria, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Santa Maria, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Santa Maria, CA
- Lower home prices: Santa Maria, CA
- Higher median household income: San Diego, CA
Cost of Living Index
San Diego, CA: 142.3 (U.S. = 100) · Santa Maria, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100)
Santa Maria, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Diego, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
San Diego, CA: $2,112/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Santa Maria, CA: $1,750/mo
Median rent in San Diego, CA is $362/mo higher than in Santa Maria, CA.
Median Home Price
San Diego, CA: $848,500 · Santa Maria, CA: $478,200
Median home price in San Diego, CA is $370,300 higher than in Santa Maria, CA.
Median Household Income
San Diego, CA: $104,321 · Santa Maria, CA: $84,617
San Diego, CA has a higher median household income than Santa Maria, CA by $19,704.
San Diego, CA overview · Santa Maria, CA overview · Popular comparisons