City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 7.8% higher than in Tampa, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tampa, FL would need about $107,800 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 $1,696 in Tampa, FL. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 26% in Tampa, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −14.2% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Tampa, FL ($124,085 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Santa Maria, CA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,731 in Tampa | $107,838 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 44% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Tampa, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
92 Strong offer
Tampa, FL → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
17 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Tampa, FL | Real change, Santa Maria → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $61,722 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $74,678 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $89,508 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $106,437 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $125,776 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $60,120 | $64,832 (−35.8%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $130,450 | $140,675 (−11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $78,990 | $85,181 (−7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $85,470 | $92,169 (−32.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.