| Index | Santa Maria | California | National |
| Cost of living | 138 | 141 | 100 |
| Groceries | 109 | 111 | 100 |
| Health care | 117 | 116 | 100 |
| Housing | 184 | 197 | 100 |
| Transportation | 118 | 118 | 100 |
| Utilities | 121 | 119 | 100 |
| Lifestyle & Entertainment | 125 | 120 | 100 |
| Household Items | 111 | 111 | 100 |
| Education & Childcare | 135 | 127 | 100 |
The cost of living in Santa Maria affects the quality of life one can afford in this new location. It allows people to assess whether they can maintain their preferred lifestyle, including housing, leisure activities and dining options. Your total monthly expenditures can varry depending on the area, as well as many other factors. The cost of living in Santa Maria is 138, which is 38% higher than the national average. Knowledge of the cost of living can help individuals make informed decisions about retirement savings, investments, and financial goals.
If affordability is among your top priorities when searching for a new place to live, this area may not be the ideal fit, as the cost of living in Santa Maria is among the most expensive in the United States. Just a minority of areas exhibit a cost of living at least 20% higher than the national average, and unfortunately, Santa Maria falls into this category, which may not align with your goal of finding a budget-friendly living environment.
Housing costs are a major factor in the Santa Maria cost of living index, and they often eat up a big chunk of your take-home pay. Unfortunately, in this area, housing expenses for both homeownership and rentals were 83.9% higher than what's typical in an average city. That includes the prices of homes and rents, as well as mortgage rates and insurance.
Recurring household expenses such as cleaning supplies, laundry detergent, toiletries, and kitchen basics are a steady part of monthly spending and make up 8% of the cost of living index. In Santa Maria, these everyday items will cost you 11% more than average, making it a slightly more expensive place to call home.
When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 7 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Santa Maria. The results indicated that 71% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 29% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.
Wondering if Santa Maria is affordable? It's a question that often comes up when you're thinking about a new city since affordability can really shape your decisions. The cost of living index (covered earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a part in the affordability equation. In Santa Maria, for example, the median home price is 96.1% higher than what folks pay nationally, and monthly rent is 55.5% higher than the usual rates. Plus, income levels matter too, with Santa Maria boasting a median household income of $98,823, which is 21.5% higher than the national average.
Groceries: The costs associated with groceries have witnessed substantial increases over the past 2-3 years. In select markets, food prices have escalated by more than 20% during this timeframe, whereas others have seen more restrained upticks. The variances in food expenses can exert a considerable influence on the overall cost of living in a given locale. In Santa Maria, the groceries index is 9.2% higher than the national average.
Housing: A sought-after location with high housing demand often leads to increased property values and rental rates, which can significantly inflate the overall cost of living. Conversely, areas with low housing demand, particularly in less desirable locales, tend to experience the opposite effect, causing prices to drop and contributing to a more affordable cost of living. In Santa Maria, the housing index stands at 83.9% higher than the national average.
Healthcare: The costs associated with healthcare and insurance premiums can exhibit notable disparities based on the city or state of residence. Access to healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for medical appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs and specialized medical care expenses all contribute to variations in the cost of living. In Santa Maria, healthcare costs are 17.1% higher than the national average.
The cost of living data for Santa Maria shown above is based on a U.S. average baseline score of 100, making it easier to compare how far your dollar may go from one city to another. Housing uses U.S. Census home price and rental data, while all remaining values are AI-assisted estimates informed by regional pricing, climate, transportation dynamics, and local economic factors. These scores are best used for directional comparisons between cities.
| Cost of living index | |
| Groceries index | |
| Health care index | |
| Housing index | |
| Transportation index | |
| Utilities index | |
| Lifestyle index | |
| Household index | |
| Educare index |
| Median Income | Per Year | Per Month | Max Budget (28% DTI) | Max Budget (36% DTI) |
| Owners | $127,038 | $10,587 | $2,964 | $3,812 |
| Renters | $80,069 | $6,672 | $1,868 | $2,402 |
| State | General Sales Tax | With Max Surtax |
| California | 7.25% | 10.5% |
| State | Income Tax (Low) | Income Tax (High) |
| California | 1% | 13.3% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Casmalia, CA | 92 | 123 | 23.4% |
| Sisquoc, CA | 172 | 126 | 26.4% |
| Guadalupe, CA | 7,848 | 130 | 30.1% |
| Oceano, CA | 7,820 | 137 | 37.1% |
| Vandenberg AFB, CA | 3,743 | 146 | 45.7% |
| Santa Maria, CA | 109,248 | 138 | 37.8% |
| City | Population | Cost of Living Index | National Avg. |
| Davie, FL | 109,448 | 126 | 26.1% |
| West Covina, CA | 109,502 | 165 | 64.6% |
| St. John's, NL | 109,566 | n/a | |
| Tyler, TX | 109,766 | 97 | 2.7% |
| San Tan Valley, AZ | 108,601 | 113 | 12.9% |
| Santa Maria, CA | 109,248 | 138 | 37.8% |
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