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 | San Luis Obispo | Wheaton | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,850/mo | $2,039/mo | 9.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $841,700 | $454,600 | 85.2% higher in A |
| Median household income | $65,000 | $101,229 | 35.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 103.0 | 1.8% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 141.0 | 103.1 | 36.7% higher in A |
| Transportation index | 101.6 | 101.8 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 101.4 | 100.1 | 1.4% higher 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 San Luis Obispo, you'd need $100,073 in Wheaton to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
San Luis Obispo and Wheaton have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in San Luis Obispo than in Wheaton. If you earn $80,000 in San Luis Obispo, you'd need about $80,058 in Wheaton to keep the same standard of living.