City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Allentown | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,202/mo | $2,080/mo | 42.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $168,800 | $783,300 | 78.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $52,449 | $98,657 | 46.8% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 93.7 | 110.2 | 15.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 89.9 | 135.0 | 33.4% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 82.5 | 117.2 | 29.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 85.5 | 121.0 | 29.4% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Allentown, you'd need $152,248 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Allentown, PA is about 34.3% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 42% lower in Allentown than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Allentown, you'd need about $121,798 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.