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 | Phoenix | Santa Maria | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $1,768/mo | 25.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $438,100 | 22.3% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $81,237 | 11.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.1 | 107.3 | 3.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 123.5 | 130.3 | 5.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 102.5 | 111.2 | 7.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 101.2 | 112.8 | 10.3% 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 Phoenix, you'd need $118,314 in Santa Maria to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Phoenix, AZ is about 15.5% cheaper overall than Santa Maria, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 25% lower in Phoenix than in Santa Maria. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $94,651 in Santa Maria to keep the same standard of living.