Santa Barbara, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2023-11-15

Cost Of Living In Santa Barbara, CA Summary

Cost of living in Santa Barbara research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Santa Barbara is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Santa Barbara is 197, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Santa Barbara is 2.0x higher than the national average.

  • Santa Barbara ranks as the #570 cheapest in California out of 635.

  • Santa Barbara ranks as the #6,306 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.

  • The median home value in Santa Barbara is $1,130,900.

  • The median income in Santa Barbara is $89,243.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
197
Santa Barbara's Overall Cost Of Living
2.0x
Higher Than The National Average

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 197, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Santa Barbara has a cost of living index that's 1.4x higher than California's index of 139.

The standard of living in Santa Barbara ranks as #570 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Barbara ranks as the #65 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Santa Barbara, check out:

570 out of 635
In California
6,306 out of 6,412
In America

Santa Barbara Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Barbara. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Santa Barbara is 105.

  • The Groceries index in Santa Barbara is 100.

  • The Health index in Santa Barbara is 108.

  • The Housing index in Santa Barbara is 386.

  • The Transportation index in Santa Barbara is 130.

  • The Utilities index in Santa Barbara is 168.

Living Expense Santa Barbara California National Average
Overall 197 139 100
Services 105 110 100
Groceries 100 112 100
Health 108 109 100
Housing 386 204 100
Transportation 130 126 100
Utilities 168 124 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Santa Barbara Cost of Living Vs. CA

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 2017-2021. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Santa Barbara is $1,130,900.

  • The Median Rent in Santa Barbara is $2,038.

  • The Median Income in Santa Barbara is $89,243.

  • The Home Value To Income in Santa Barbara is 12.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Barbara is 0.27x.

Statistic Santa Barbara California United States
Median Home Value $1,130,900 $573,200 $244,900
Median Rent $2,038 $1,698 $1,163
Median Income $89,243 $84,097 $69,021
Home Value To Income 12.7x 6.8x 3.5x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.27x 0.24x 0.2x
Search Homes For Sale In Santa Barbara, CA
$1,130,900
Median Home Value
$2,038
Median Rent
$89,243
Median Income

Santa Barbara, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Santa Barbara Services Costs Vs. California

Item Santa Barbara California
Shampoo $1.16 $1.06
Movie $10.31 $10.68
Bowling $14.28 $14.67
Haircut $20.0 $18.62
Beauty Salon $55.0 $39.05

Detailed Santa Barbara Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Santa Barbara California
Ground Beef $4.37 $4.22
Fried Chicken $1.53 $1.39
Milk $2.37 $2.05
Potatoes $3.31 $3.29
Pizza $8.97 $10.62
Beer $8.81 $9.38
Toothpaste $2.6 $2.34

Detailed Santa Barbara Health Costs Vs. California

Item Santa Barbara California
Optometrist $91.67 $108.57
Doctor $131.39 $116.17
Dentist $117.39 $99.13

Detailed Santa Barbara Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Santa Barbara California
Gasoline $3.22 $2.22
Tire Balancing $46.66 $50.07

Detailed Santa Barbara Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Santa Barbara California
All Electricity $370.41 $167.67
Phone $176.01 $175.64

Santa Barbara SnackAbility

8
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
10
Affordability
3
Diversity
9
Safety
5
Amenities
9.5
Education
8
Commute
9

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 137, 0.7x Santa Barbara.

  • Thousand Oaks, CA has a cost of living index of 173, 0.9x Santa Barbara.

  • Camarillo, CA has a cost of living index of 157, 0.8x Santa Barbara.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Santa Barbara
Oxnard, CA 202,981 137 0.7x
Thousand Oaks, CA 127,274 173 0.9x
Camarillo, CA 70,593 157 0.8x
Moorpark, CA 36,201 161 0.8x
Goleta, CA 32,677 172 0.9x
Fillmore, CA 16,373 129 0.7x
Isla Vista, CA 15,732 143 0.7x
Carpinteria, CA 13,289 167 0.8x
Montecito, CA 8,494 334 1.7x
Mira Monte, CA 6,893 153 0.8x

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