Cost of Living in San Diego, CA
San Diego, CA scores 143 on the cost-of-living index — about 43% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #10 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: San Diego vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in San Diego, CA, you would need about $130,769 in New York City, NY — roughly 30.8% more.
| Category | San Diego | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 143 | 187 | +31% |
| Housing | 192 | 287 | +49% |
| Groceries | 118 | 137 | +16% |
| Utilities | 124 | 130 | +5% |
| Transportation | 122 | 120 | −2% |
| Healthcare | 114 | 128 | +12% |
San Diego cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 143 | +43% |
| Housing | 192 | +92% |
| Groceries | 118 | +18% |
| Utilities | 124 | +24% |
| Transportation | 122 | +22% |
| Healthcare | 114 | +14% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is San Diego expensive to live in?
San Diego, CA has a cost-of-living index of 143, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 43% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #10 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 192.
What is the cost-of-living index for San Diego?
The overall index is 143 (US average = 100). By category: housing 192, groceries 118, utilities 124, transportation 122 and healthcare 114. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in San Diego?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.
How is the San Diego cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in San Diego?
In San Diego, healthcare is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 114), while housing is the priciest (index 192).