City comparison
Deltona, FL 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 9.5% higher than in Deltona, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Deltona, FL would need about $109,500 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 $1,385 in Deltona, FL. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 21% in Deltona, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Deltona, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Deltona, FL to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Deltona, FL: price level 99.4 (about average)
- 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
| Deltona, FL | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.4 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,491 in Santa Maria | $91,332 in Deltona |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,385/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,940 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Deltona | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.4 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.6 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 99.4 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Deltona, FL → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
12 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Deltona, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Deltona, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Deltona, FL to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Deltona, FL | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Deltona → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Deltona, FL | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Deltona dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,770 | $101,030 | $92,272 (+59.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,000 | $158,290 | $144,569 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,730 | $91,610 | $83,669 (+13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,180 | $137,360 | $125,453 (+49.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.