Santa Maria, California
Living in Santa Maria, California is about 45% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 145 (US = 100). Typical rent is $3,279 a month, 70% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $5.71 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 58% of the area's $97,064 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$5.71
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$3,279
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$18.49
Combo meal
Electricity
29.75¢
per kWh · ~$268/mo
Car Insurance
$234/mo
$2,810/yr
Median Household Income
$97,064
57.6% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,810 in Santa Maria. Compare rates:
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Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what Santa Maria residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $3,279/mo in Santa Maria. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Bird flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Butter (lb)
$3.98 BLS avg
$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Bird flu volatility$1.29 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$2.69 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Bread (loaf)$2.49 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$4.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Butter (lb)$6.99 @ Fred Meyer - Boise Franklin (FRED) (Mar 2026) | — | — | — | — | $3.86 | $3.67 | $3.98 | -4.2% since 2018 |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$18.49
Casual Dining
$32.43
Monthly Spend
$541.46
+5.41% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $8.36
$13.49
+61.4%Wendy's
2022: $9.44
$14.57
+54.3%Chipotle
2022: $10.12
$15.11
+49.3%Starbucks
2022: $4.58
$6.36
+38.9%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in Santa Maria?
Average 1BR: $2,689/mo · 2BR: $3,869/mo
Santa Maria Cost of Living FAQ
Is Santa Maria, CA expensive to live in?
Santa Maria has a cost of living index of 145, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 45% more expensive than average. It is the 14th most expensive of the 30 California cities we track.
What is the average rent in Santa Maria, CA?
Typical rent in Santa Maria is $3,279 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 70% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $2,689 and two bedrooms about $3,869. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in Santa Maria?
Rent in Santa Maria rose 2.9% over the past year, about in line with the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in Santa Maria?
Regular unleaded costs about $5.71 a gallon in Santa Maria as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for California. That is 44% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in Santa Maria?
Homes in California pay an average of 29.8 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in Santa Maria is about $268.
How much is car insurance in Santa Maria?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,810 a year in California, or about $234 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in Santa Maria?
Median household income in the Santa Maria area is $97,064 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $55,910 a year, or 58% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does Santa Maria compare with the rest of California?
Rent in Santa Maria is 35% above the $2,424 average across the 30 California cities we track, and its cost of living index of 145 compares with a state average of 137.
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