Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in University of California-Santa Barbara, California
A $453,000 home here costs
$3,497per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $2,329. The real number is $1,168 higher every month — 50% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
University of California-Santa Barbara against Santa Barbara County and California
| Measure | University of California-Santa Barbara | Santa Barbara County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $452,600 | $735,700 |
| Median property tax | $4,237 | $4,870 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.936% | 0.662% |
| Median gross rent | $1,512 | $2,050 |
| Population | 11,634 | 443,975 |
The weather behind that power bill
University of California-Santa Barbara sits in Santa Barbara County, which averages a high of 93.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 33.4°F in its coldest, with 21.13" of precipitation a year and 65% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 657 cooling and 2,432 heating degree days, which is what sets the $299 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Santa Barbara County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Santa Barbara County
Full Santa Barbara County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in University of California-Santa Barbara?
A $453,000 home in University of California-Santa Barbara, California costs approximately $3,497 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $2,329 principal and interest, $353 property tax, $70 homeowners insurance, $367 utilities and $378 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in University of California-Santa Barbara?
University of California-Santa Barbara has an effective property tax rate of 0.936%, based on a median home value of $452,600 and median real estate taxes of $4,237. That is higher than the Santa Barbara County average of 0.662%.
What is the average home price in University of California-Santa Barbara?
The median owner-occupied home value in University of California-Santa Barbara, California is $452,600, against $735,700 across Santa Barbara County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in University of California-Santa Barbara?
Median gross rent in University of California-Santa Barbara is $1,512 a month, against $3,497 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for University of California-Santa Barbara — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for California.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.