What is the cost of living in Santa Maria, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Santa Maria has an overall cost of living index of 138, which is 1.4x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, Santa Maria has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in Santa Maria ranks as #215 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Santa Maria ranks as the #419 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in Santa Maria, check out:
Santa Maria Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Santa Maria. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Santa Maria is 110.
The Groceries index in Santa Maria is 117.
The Health index in Santa Maria is 186.
The Housing index in Santa Maria is 116.
The Transportation index in Santa Maria is 122.
The Utilities index in Santa Maria is 124.
| Living Expense | Santa Maria | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 138 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 110 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 117 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 186 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 116 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 122 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 124 | 121 | 100 |
Santa Maria 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 Maria Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100
Santa Maria, 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 Maria is $658,010.
The Median Rent in Santa Maria is $1,925.
The Median Income in Santa Maria is $84,746.
The Home Value To Income in Santa Maria is 7.8x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Santa Maria is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Santa Maria | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $658,010 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $1,925 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $84,746 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 7.8x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
Santa Maria, CA Costs By Category
Detailed Santa Maria Services costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Maria | 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 Maria Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Maria | 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 Maria Health costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Maria | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $142.2 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $131.33 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $131.5 | $113.29 |
Detailed Santa Maria Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Maria | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.62 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $61.0 | $59.92 |
Detailed Santa Maria Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | Santa Maria | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $231.4 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $193.81 | $192.25 |
Santa Maria SnackAbility
Cost Of Living In Cities Around Santa Maria
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Santa Maria. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Lompoc, CA has a cost of living index of 129, 0.9x Santa Maria.
Orcutt, CA has a cost of living index of 148, 1.1x Santa Maria.
Arroyo Grande, CA has a cost of living index of 168, 1.2x Santa Maria.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lompoc, CA | 43,646 | 129 | 0.9x |
| Orcutt, CA | 31,454 | 148 | 1.1x |
| Arroyo Grande, CA | 18,372 | 168 | 1.2x |
| Nipomo, CA | 17,516 | 166 | 1.2x |
| Grover Beach, CA | 12,604 | 157 | 1.1x |
| Guadalupe, CA | 8,566 | 132 | 1.0x |
| Oceano, CA | 7,128 | 136 | 1.0x |
