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 | Los Angeles | Santa Maria | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,791/mo | $1,768/mo | 1.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $822,600 | $438,100 | 87.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $76,244 | $81,237 | 6.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.0 | 107.3 | 3.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 130.3 | 36.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 111.2 | 9.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 104.0 | 112.8 | 7.9% 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 Los Angeles, you'd need $106,245 in Santa Maria to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Los Angeles, CA is about 5.9% cheaper overall than Santa Maria, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. If you earn $80,000 in Los Angeles, you'd need about $84,996 in Santa Maria to keep the same standard of living.