San Diego, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Diego, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Diego research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means San Diego is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in San Diego is 170, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Diego is 1.7x higher than the national average.
San Diego ranks as the #434 cheapest in California out of 634.
San Diego ranks as the #6,068 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in San Diego is $981,175.
The median income in San Diego is $104,321.
Table Of Contents
San Diego's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Diego, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Diego has an overall cost of living index of 170, which is 1.7x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Diego has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than California's index of 141.
The standard of living in San Diego ranks as #434 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Diego ranks as the #200 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Diego, check out:
In California
In America
San Diego Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Diego. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Diego is 115.
The Groceries index in San Diego is 116.
The Health index in San Diego is 106.
The Housing index in San Diego is 296.
The Transportation index in San Diego is 127.
The Utilities index in San Diego is 105.
| Living Expense | San Diego | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 170 | 141 | 100 | |
| Services | 115 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 116 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 106 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 296 | 195 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 127 | 125 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 105 | 128 | 100 | |
San Diego, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in San Diego is $981,175.
The Median Rent in San Diego is $2,223.
The Median Income in San Diego is $104,321.
The Home Value To Income in San Diego is 9.4x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Diego is 0.26x.
| Statistic | San Diego | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $981,175 | $763,287 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $2,223 | $1,956 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $104,321 | $96,334 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.4x | 7.9x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.26x | 0.24x | 0.21x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Diego, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Diego Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.5 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.89 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.67 | $18 |
| Haircut | $26.92 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $65.77 | $45.56 |
Detailed San Diego Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.47 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $3.05 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.98 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.94 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $14.69 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.25 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.73 | $3.7 |
Detailed San Diego Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $138.66 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $132.5 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $121.37 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Diego Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.68 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $64.4 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Diego Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Diego | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $223.42 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $180.31 | $192.25 |
San Diego SnackAbility
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Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Diego
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Diego. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
El Cajon, CA has a cost of living index of 147, 0.9x San Diego.
Encinitas, CA has a cost of living index of 214, 1.3x San Diego.
La Mesa, CA has a cost of living index of 160, 0.9x San Diego.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Cajon, CA | 104,909 | 147 | 0.9x |
| Encinitas, CA | 61,585 | 214 | 1.3x |
| La Mesa, CA | 60,835 | 160 | 0.9x |
| Santee, CA | 59,485 | 149 | 0.9x |
| Poway, CA | 48,515 | 176 | 1.0x |
| La Presa, CA | 36,669 | 143 | 0.8x |
| Lemon Grove, CA | 27,489 | 144 | 0.8x |
| Rancho San Diego, CA | 22,264 | 171 | 1.0x |
| Winter Gardens, CA | 22,003 | 145 | 0.9x |
| Casa de Oro-Mount Helix, CA | 19,651 | 171 | 1.0x |
