Uprootmap
Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
Uprootmap
Salinas skyline
BrendelSignature at English Wikipedia. CC BY-SA 3.0. Photo source · License
Santa Cruz skyline
Michael from San Jose, California, USA. CC BY 2.0. Photo source · License

Salinas vs Santa Cruz

$66/mo less in Santa Cruz

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
Less leftMore left

SalinasSanta CruzAbout 66 miles apart, close enough to drive.

  • Santa Cruz costs you more
  • Rent over 30% of pay
  • 247 sunny days

Same paycheck, two cities. $996/mo in Santa Cruz. $1,062/mo in Salinas. −$792 a year.

Salinas

$1,062

left each month

Santa Cruz

$996

−$66 vs Salinas

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

Santa Cruz wins 2 of 4Salinas 2 · ties 0
$5,227Take-home · Santa Cruz$5,693
$2,023Rent · Salinas$2,638
$2,142Other bills · Santa Cruz$2,059
$1,062Left over · Salinas$996

Next

In 2022-2023, 545 households moved Salinas → Santa Cruz (avg AGI $59,969). 721 went the other way. The whole move →

−$66 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthSalinasSanta Cruz
Less leftMore left
Santa Cruz · this breakdownSalinas · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between Salinas, CA and Santa Cruz, CA
Per monthSalinasSanta CruzDifference
Gross pay$6,875$7,639+$764
Income and payroll tax$1,648$1,945+$298
Take-home pay$5,227$5,693+$466
Rent$2,023$2,638+$615
Getting around$572$489−$83
Groceries$433$433$0
Healthcare$487$487$0
Utilities$271$271$0
Everything else$379$379$0
Left over$1,062$996−$66

Salary to match Salinas

$93,000

Gross pay in Santa Cruz that leaves the same amount as $82,500 in Salinas.

Tax difference

−$853

A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 24.0% in Salinas, 25.5% in Santa Cruz.

More about Santa Cruz

Salinas, CA in full

State income tax topping out at 12.3%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $2,408 and 251 sunny days; commutes average 25 minutes.

Santa Cruz, CA in full

State income tax topping out at 12.3%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $3,141 and 247 sunny days; commutes average 27 minutes.

The other way

Start in Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz → Salinas →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in Santa Cruz than Salinas?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, Santa Cruz leaves about $66 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $2,023 in Salinas and $2,638 in Santa Cruz.

Does Santa Cruz have state income tax?

Santa Cruz is in California, which taxes wage income.

What changes if you move from Salinas to Santa Cruz?

The paycheck is taxed in California. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.

Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Salinas and Santa Cruz changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.

Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.