Amarillo vs Santa Barbara
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Amarillo
Santa Barbara
The Verdict
Amarillo is 61.1% less expensive than Santa Barbara overall. A household earning $75,000 in Amarillo would need approximately $192,568 in Santa Barbara to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Amarillo has the same purchasing power as $192,568 in Santa Barbara.
Conversely, $75,000 in Santa Barbara equals $29,211 in Amarillo.
Living in Amarillo vs Santa Barbara
Housing Costs
Amarillo's housing index of 59 is lower Santa Barbara's 340, translating to median home prices of $195,000 vs $1.2M. The $1.0M difference in home prices means roughly $65,328 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $975/mo in Amarillo compared to $3,000/mo in Santa Barbara, a monthly difference of $2,025.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 92 in Amarillo and 112 in Santa Barbara. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $437/month in Amarillo vs $532/month in Santa Barbara. Amarillo offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $1140/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 94 in Amarillo and 117 in Santa Barbara. Monthly utility bills average approximately $376 in Amarillo vs $468 in Santa Barbara. Climate differences between the two cities drive much of this gap, with heating and cooling costs varying substantially by region.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 104 in Amarillo and 110 in Santa Barbara. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $58,500 in Amarillo and $70,819 in Santa Barbara. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $79,054 and $37,273 respectively. Amarillo residents enjoy stronger real purchasing power despite lower nominal wages.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,365/month to housing in Amarillo vs $1,652/month in Santa Barbara. In Amarillo, median rent of $975/mo fits within this budget. In Santa Barbara, median rent of $3,000/mo pushes past the recommended limit. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 281 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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