What is the cost of living in Santa Barbara, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Barbara has an overall cost of living index of 223, which is 2.2x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Santa Barbara has a cost of living index that's 1.6x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Santa Barbara ranks as #563 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Barbara ranks as the #71 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Santa Barbara, check out:
Santa Barbara Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Barbara. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Santa Barbara is 111.
The Groceries index in Santa Barbara is 115.
The Health index in Santa Barbara is 470.
The Housing index in Santa Barbara is 118.
The Transportation index in Santa Barbara is 122.
The Utilities index in Santa Barbara is 127.
| Living Expense | Santa Barbara | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 223 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 111 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 115 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 470 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 118 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 122 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 127 | 121 | 100 |
Santa Barbara Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in Santa Barbara Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Santa Barbara, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Santa Barbara is $1,834,094.
The Median Rent in Santa Barbara is $2,413.
The Median Income in Santa Barbara is $106,182.
The Home Value To Income in Santa Barbara is 17.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Barbara is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Santa Barbara | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,834,094 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,413 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $106,182 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 17.3x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Santa Barbara, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Santa Barbara Services costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Barbara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.48 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $18.12 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $22.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.25 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $89.33 | $45.56 |
Detailed Santa Barbara Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Barbara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.77 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.63 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.91 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.9 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.49 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.13 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.75 | $3.7 |
Detailed Santa Barbara Health costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Barbara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $142.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $131.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $131.5 | $113.29 |
Detailed Santa Barbara Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Barbara | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.62 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Santa Barbara Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Barbara | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $231.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $193.81 | $192.25 |
Santa Barbara SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Barbara
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santa Barbara. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Oxnard, CA has a cost of living index of 152, 0.7x Santa Barbara.
Thousand Oaks, CA has a cost of living index of 190, 0.9x Santa Barbara.
Camarillo, CA has a cost of living index of 172, 0.8x Santa Barbara.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Santa Barbara |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard, CA | 200,928 | 152 | 0.7x |
| Thousand Oaks, CA | 125,205 | 190 | 0.9x |
| Camarillo, CA | 70,186 | 172 | 0.8x |
| Moorpark, CA | 35,854 | 177 | 0.8x |
| Goleta, CA | 32,685 | 193 | 0.9x |
| Fillmore, CA | 16,816 | 147 | 0.7x |
| Isla Vista, CA | 13,920 | 133 | 0.6x |
| Carpinteria, CA | 13,036 | 184 | 0.8x |
| Montecito, CA | 9,031 | 338 | 1.5x |
| Mira Monte, CA | 6,888 | 172 | 0.8x |
