Los Angeles vs San Diego: Cost of Living
Los Angeles is about 2% more expensive than San Diego, based on the BEA regional price parity index (U.S. average = 100): Los Angeles at 113.566, San Diego at 111.887.
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
Los Angeles: 113.566
Cost of living (U.S. avg 100)
San Diego: 111.887
Salary parity ($100K in Los Angeles)
$99K in San Diego
If you earn $100K in Los Angeles, you would need about $99K in San Diego to keep the same standard of living (price levels only; taxes on your specific income are separate).
Rents: the biggest difference
Los Angeles
Rent price parity: 170.433 (U.S. average = 100)
San Diego
Rent price parity: 179.267 (U.S. average = 100)
What common jobs pay in each city (after tax)
| Occupation | Median (Los Angeles) | Take-home (Los Angeles) | Median (San Diego) | Take-home (San Diego) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developer | $161K | $110K | $163K | $112K |
| Data Scientist | $130K | $92K | $131K | $93K |
| Registered Nurse | $136K | $95K | $140K | $98K |
| Accountant | $94K | $71K | $96K | $72K |
| Mechanical Engineer | $124K | $89K | $122K | $87K |
| Marketing Manager | $172K | $117K | $175K | $119K |
| Electrician | $74K | $58K | $76K | $59K |
| Elementary School Teacher | $102K | $75K | $97K | $72K |
| Police Officer | $122K | $87K | $110K | $80K |
| Chef | $70K | $56K | $61K | $49K |
| Financial Analyst | $102K | $75K | $106K | $78K |
| Civil Engineer | $109K | $79K | $109K | $79K |
| Pharmacist | - | - | - | - |
| Physical Therapist | - | - | - | - |
| Dental Hygienist | - | - | - | - |
| Web Developer | - | - | - | - |
| Graphic Designer | - | - | - | - |
| Paralegal | $78K | $60K | $76K | $59K |
| Plumber | - | - | - | - |
| HVAC Technician | $74K | $58K | $75K | $59K |
Taxes at a glance
Take-home assumes a single filer using the standard deduction. Los Angeles (California state tax), San Diego (California state tax). A $100K salary nets about $74K in Los Angeles vs $74K in San Diego. Full assumptions: methodology.