San Diego, CA Cost of Living (2026)

San Diego has a cost of living index of 140, placing it 40% above the national average. The housing index is 215. A one-bedroom apartment in San Diego rents for roughly $2,000 to $2,700 per month, and median home prices in the metro sit above $850,000. The median household income is approximately $95,000, which is above average nationally but still leaves many residents spending a large portion of income on housing costs.

A $100,000 salary in an average-cost city is worth approximately $71,000 in purchasing power in San Diego. That's a significant reduction. Workers considering San Diego should account for that gap when evaluating salary offers or negotiating relocation packages. The city is less extreme than San Francisco or Los Angeles, but it is firmly in the expensive California tier.

California's income tax applies fully in San Diego. For a single filer earning $100,000, the marginal state rate is 9.3%. The effective state tax rate at that income level runs around 5 to 6%, and combined with federal income tax and FICA, take-home pay is substantially lower than gross salary. Someone moving from a no-income-tax state like Texas or Florida will notice this immediately in their first paycheck.

Groceries in San Diego run roughly 15 to 20% above the national average. The climate is mild year-round, which reduces heating and cooling costs compared to cities in more extreme climates. Utility bills are moderate relative to San Francisco. One specific housing dynamic worth noting: the San Diego rental market has a relatively low vacancy rate, and renters who move frequently face the risk of resetting to current market prices. Long-term renters in rent-stabilized buildings have enjoyed some protection, but California's AB 1482 rent cap of 5% plus CPI still allows meaningful annual increases.