CostIndexUSA

Palm Bay, FL vs Santa Ana, CA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

More AffordableFL
Palm Bay
100
overall index
$1,875/mo rent
CA
Santa Ana
113.6
overall index
$2,550/mo rent

Palm Bay is moderately cheaper than Santa Ana — 13.6% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in Palm Bay, you would need $90,900 in Santa Ana. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+52.6%
Palm Bay
111.7
Santa Ana
170.4
🛒 Groceries+10.8%
Palm Bay
96.2
Santa Ana
106.6
🚗 Transportation+5.6%
Palm Bay
103.8
Santa Ana
109.6
🏥 Healthcare+5.5%
Palm Bay
93.9
Santa Ana
99.1
Utilities+80.0%
Palm Bay
88.1
Santa Ana
158.6

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Palm Bay to see what you'd need to earn in Santa Ana to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Santa Ana, CA
$90,900
$10,900 more needed in Santa Ana

Formula: salary × (113.6 ÷ 100) = salary × 1.1360. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Palm Bay, FL

Median Home Price
$336,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,875
Housing Index
111.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.9×

Santa Ana, CA

Median Home Price
$565,000
Median Monthly Rent
$2,550
Housing Index
170.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
18.5×

Santa Ana has 52.6% higher housing costs compared to Palm Bay.

Income & Job Market

Palm Bay, FL

Median Household Income
$78,600
Per Capita Income
$44,800
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
119,760
Top Industries
AerospaceHealthcareTechnologyManufacturingRetail

Santa Ana, CA

Median Household Income
$92,000
Per Capita Income
$52,400
Unemployment Rate
5.5%
Population
310,227
Top Industries
HealthcareManufacturingRetailEducationFinance

Affordability at a Glance

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

Palm Bay, FL
3.5×income-to-rent ratio

71% of income left after rent (median)

Santa Ana, CA
3.0×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

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.