CostIndexUSA

San Luis Obispo, CA vs St. Petersburg, FL Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

CA
San Luis Obispo
108.6
overall index
$3,000/mo rent
More AffordableFL
St. Petersburg
100.9
overall index
$1,975/mo rent

St. Petersburg is moderately cheaper than San Luis Obispo — 7.1% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in San Luis Obispo, you would need $74,300 in St. Petersburg. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing−12.9%
San Luis Obispo
144.4
St. Petersburg
125.8
🛒 Groceries−9.2%
San Luis Obispo
105.2
St. Petersburg
95.5
🚗 Transportation−2.8%
San Luis Obispo
105.3
St. Petersburg
102.4
🏥 Healthcare−2.7%
San Luis Obispo
95.3
St. Petersburg
92.7
⚡ Utilities−40.1%
San Luis Obispo
147.8
St. Petersburg
88.5

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in San Luis Obispo to see what you'd need to earn in St. Petersburg to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in St. Petersburg, FL
$74,300
$5,700 less needed in St. Petersburg

Formula: salary × (100.9 ÷ 108.6) = salary × 0.9291. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

San Luis Obispo, CA

Median Home Price
$880,000
Median Monthly Rent
$3,000
Housing Index
144.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
24.4×

St. Petersburg, FL

Median Home Price
$352,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,975
Housing Index
125.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.9×

San Luis Obispo has 12.9% lower housing costs compared to St. Petersburg.

Income & Job Market

San Luis Obispo, CA

Median Household Income
$90,700
Per Capita Income
$51,700
Unemployment Rate
4.4%
Population
47,536
Top Industries
EducationTourismAgricultureHealthcareTechnology

St. Petersburg, FL

Median Household Income
$72,700
Per Capita Income
$41,400
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
Population
258,308
Top Industries
HealthcareFinanceTourismTechnologyRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

San Luis Obispo, CA
2.5×income-to-rent ratio

60% of income left after rent (median)

St. Petersburg, FL
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

San Luis Obispo vs other cities

San Luis Obispo, CA
vs
Anaheim, CA
Index: 108.6Index: 113.6
San Luis Obispo, CA
vs
Bakersfield, CA
Index: 108.6Index: 100.9
San Luis Obispo, CA
vs
Chico, CA
Index: 108.6Index: 101.2
San Luis Obispo, CA
vs
Monroe, LA
Index: 108.6Index: 83.6
San Luis Obispo, CA
vs
Charleston, WV
Index: 108.6Index: 88.7

St. Petersburg vs other cities

St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Cape Coral, FL
Index: 100.9Index: 102.3
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Daytona Beach, FL
Index: 100.9Index: 99.4
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Index: 100.9Index: 114.2
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Scottsdale, AZ
Index: 100.9Index: 103.3
St. Petersburg, FL
vs
Lubbock, TX
Index: 100.9Index: 91.3

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.