City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 12.3% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $112,300 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,779 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Tucson, AZ ($124,085 → $108,455), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Santa Maria, CA | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,060 in Tucson | $112,283 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 44% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,779/yr.
100 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$2,779/yr.
8 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Santa Maria → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $62,893 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $76,095 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $91,205 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $108,455 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $128,162 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $47,220 | $53,020 (−47.5%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $123,710 | $138,906 (−12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $76,320 | $85,695 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $94,110 | $105,670 (−23.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.