City comparison
Montgomery, AL 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 21.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $121,300 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $335 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Montgomery, AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Montgomery, AL to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +21.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Montgomery, AL | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,315 in Santa Maria | $82,430 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $2,746/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.6%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$335/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$335/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Montgomery → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $101,030 | $83,279 (+39.7%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $158,290 | $130,478 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $91,610 | $75,514 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $137,360 | $113,226 (+42.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.