Median rent is 20% lower in Los Angeles ($1,933/mo vs $2,413/mo). Buying is cheaper in Los Angeles, where the median home runs $921,200 versus $1,570,800. Households earn more in Santa Barbara ($106,182 vs $81,939 a year).
City A
Los Angeles, CA
City B
Santa Barbara, CA
How much would you need to earn in Santa Barbara, CA to maintain your standard of living from Los Angeles, CA?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Los Angeles
California
Santa Barbara
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Los Angeles at $1,933/mo compared to $2,413/mo in Santa Barbara (20% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in Santa Barbara: the median home is $1,570,800 versus $921,200 in Los Angeles — 41% more expensive.
Metric
Los Angeles
Santa Barbara
Software Developer
Registered Nurse
Elementary Teacher
Electrician
Accountant
Higher wage highlighted · BLS OEWS 2023 (metro-level data)
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Los Angeles
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Santa Barbara
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Los Angeles (avg AQI 31.0) but not yet for Santa Barbara.
Pick Santa Barbara if you prioritize higher median household income ($106,182/yr).
Pick Los Angeles if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,933/mo median).
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Median rent is $1,933/mo in Los Angeles, CA and $2,413/mo in Santa Barbara, CA. Los Angeles, CA has the lower rent by about 20%.
Median household income is $81,939 in Los Angeles, CA and $106,182 in Santa Barbara, CA. Santa Barbara, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: June 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
