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 | North Bethesda | Santa Maria | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,180/mo | $1,768/mo | 23.3% higher in A |
| Median home value | $714,500 | $438,100 | 63.1% higher in A |
| Median household income | $131,142 | $81,237 | 61.4% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 103.0 | 104.8 | 1.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 103.1 | 142.4 | 27.6% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 101.8 | 101.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 100.1 | 101.4 | 1.3% 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 North Bethesda, you'd need $99,896 in Santa Maria to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
North Bethesda and Santa Maria have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Santa Maria than in North Bethesda. If you earn $80,000 in North Bethesda, you'd need about $79,917 in Santa Maria to keep the same standard of living.