City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 3.4% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $103,400 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,795 in Boulder, CO. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 29% in Boulder, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Santa Maria, CA ($118,675 → $124,085), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,418 in Santa Maria | $96,695 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
29 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Boulder, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Boulder → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $71,957 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $87,061 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $104,349 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $124,085 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $146,632 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $101,030 | $97,691 (+21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $158,290 | $153,058 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $91,610 | $88,582 (−11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $137,360 | $132,820 (+28.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.