City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Dallas | Santa Maria | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,305/mo | $1,768/mo | 26.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $270,700 | $438,100 | 38.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $63,985 | $81,237 | 21.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 90.5 | 107.3 | 15.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 74.6 | 130.3 | 42.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 87.0 | 111.2 | 21.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 99.8 | 112.8 | 11.6% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Dallas, you'd need $131,584 in Santa Maria to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Dallas, TX is about 24% cheaper overall than Santa Maria, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 26% lower in Dallas than in Santa Maria. If you earn $80,000 in Dallas, you'd need about $105,267 in Santa Maria to keep the same standard of living.