Cost of Living in Santa Maria, CA
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Santa Maria, CA to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Santa Maria, CA?
With a price level of 108.8 (U.S. average = 100), Santa Maria, CA is more expensive than average. In detail, housing costs run 51% above average; everyday goods run 5% above average; utilities run 50% above average; other services such as healthcare and dining cost about the same as the national average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Santa Maria, CA vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 108.8 | +8.8% |
| Housing | 151.4 | +51.4% |
| Goods | 105.2 | +5.2% |
| Utilities | 149.8 | +49.8% |
| Other services | 100.3 | +0.3% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Santa Maria, CA
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,459 | $98,360/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $2,746 | $109,840/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,124 | $124,960/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $4,075 | $163,000/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $4,647 | $185,880/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Santa Maria, CA
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Santa Maria, CA | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $43,500 | $35,837 |
| $60,000 | $65,300 | $51,788 |
| $80,000 | $87,000 | $65,042 |
| $100,000 | $108,800 | $78,068 |
| $150,000 | $163,200 | $109,744 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, California 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Santa Maria, CA's median wage of $51,690 takes home about $3,491 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $2,746, which is 79% of take-home pay — well above the 30% guideline, so many workers here share housing or rent smaller units. That leaves about $745 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA
- Federal income tax$4,023
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,205
- Medicare (1.45%)$750
- California income tax$1,151
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$672
- Take-home pay$41,890
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Highest-paying jobs in Santa Maria, CA
| Job | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurse | $137,360 | $94,821 | $87,153 |
| General and Operations Manager | $111,390 | $79,615 | $73,177 |
| Office Clerks, General | $55,620 | $44,761 | $41,141 |
| Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary | $46,540 | $38,119 | $35,036 |
| Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker | $45,230 | $37,136 | $34,133 |
| Fast Food and Counter Worker | $42,940 | $35,417 | $32,553 |
| Stocker and Order Filler | $37,960 | $31,680 | $29,118 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | $37,900 | $31,635 | $29,076 |
| Retail Salesperson | $37,200 | $31,109 | $28,594 |
| Cashier | $36,600 | $30,659 | $28,180 |
| Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse | $36,230 | $30,381 | $27,924 |
| Waiter and Waitress | $35,260 | $29,653 | $27,255 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aide | $34,320 | $28,948 | $26,607 |
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in California cities
Half of California’s 18,213,700 workers earn less than $58,240 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $41,600–$97,880 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: San Jose, CA stretches a paycheck furthest, while Salinas, CA is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles, CA | $55,850 | 113.6 | $2,245 | 60% | $1,499 | $39,562 |
| San Francisco, CA | $74,260 | 115.6 | $2,620 | 55% | $2,161 | $49,629 |
| Riverside, CA | $48,400 | 106.4 | $1,777 | 54% | $1,514 | $37,097 |
| San Diego, CA | $58,690 | 111.9 | $2,459 | 63% | $1,458 | $42,010 |
| San Jose, CA | $84,050 | 110.4 | $2,957 | 56% | $2,316 | $57,306 |
| Sacramento, CA | $59,750 | 106.7 | $1,812 | 46% | $2,169 | $44,790 |
| Fresno, CA | $46,910 | 102.2 | $1,315 | 41% | $1,885 | $37,586 |
| Bakersfield, CA | $47,470 | 100.9 | $1,140 | 35% | $2,094 | $38,467 |
| Oxnard, CA | $52,510 | 110.5 | $2,250 | 64% | $1,291 | $38,440 |
| Stockton, CA | $48,990 | 105.1 | $1,395 | 42% | $1,931 | $37,985 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $56,850 | 107.8 | $2,155 | 57% | $1,650 | $42,362 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $51,690 | 108.8 | $2,746 | 79% | $745 | $38,503 |
| Modesto, CA | $50,610 | 104.1 | $1,356 | 40% | $2,069 | $39,479 |
| Salinas, CA | $47,380 | 109.0 | $2,232 | 69% | $996 | $35,529 |
| Visalia, CA | $45,130 | 99.8 | $1,123 | 36% | $1,965 | $37,126 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Santa Maria, CA vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria, CA | 108.8 | $2,746 | $51,690 | 200,760 |
| Springfield, MA | 96.1 | $1,382 | $51,930 | 201,240 |
| Manchester, NH | 105.7 | $1,596 | $56,530 | 199,560 |
| Savannah, GA | 95.2 | $1,533 | $47,240 | 198,360 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 92.7 | $1,115 | $45,350 | 192,580 |
| Boulder, CO | 105.2 | $1,795 | $69,580 | 192,390 |
| Wilmington, NC | 96.4 | $1,380 | $45,800 | 191,280 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Maria, CA expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA metro area are 108.8% of the U.S. average, with housing at 151.4%. It is the #16 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Santa Maria, CA?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $65,279 in Santa Maria, CA (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $51,690.
Can you afford Santa Maria, CA on the median wage?
A single worker on the $51,690 median wage takes home about $3,491 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $2,746 would take 79% of that.
How much is rent in Santa Maria, CA?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Santa Maria, CA are $2,459 for a studio, $2,746 for one bedroom, $3,124 for two bedrooms and $4,075 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Santa Maria, CA
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $111,390
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $137,360
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $34,320
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $42,940
- Waiter and Waitress — $35,260
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping Worker — $45,230
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners — $37,900
Sales and Related Occupations
- Retail Salesperson — $37,200
- Cashier — $36,600
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- Office Clerks, General — $55,620
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry Occupations
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,960