Residential comparison · 13 facts
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Santa Barbara, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in San Luis Obispo needs about $94,000 in Santa Barbara to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Santa Barbara, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $76,000 in San Luis Obispo.
A few differences
- Santa Barbara is higher on median household income ($106,182 vs $73,685).
- San Luis Obispo is lower on cost of living index (150 vs 194).
- San Luis Obispo is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,154/mo vs $2,772/mo).
San Luis Obispo vs Santa Barbara · facet by facet
| Facet | San Luis Obispo, CA | Santa Barbara, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $935,100 | $1,570,800 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $2,154/mo | $2,772/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 150 | 194 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $73,685 | $106,182 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: San Luis Obispo, CA · Santa Barbara, CA
Questions & answers
- Is San Luis Obispo cheaper than Santa Barbara?
- San Luis Obispo has the lower day-to-day cost index (150 vs 194 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Santa Barbara equals $85,000 in San Luis Obispo?
- A household earning $85,000 in San Luis Obispo needs about $94,000 in Santa Barbara to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Santa Barbara lifestyle costs about $76,000 in San Luis Obispo.