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 | Bismarck | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $969/mo | $2,080/mo | 53.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $283,800 | $783,300 | 63.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $76,014 | $98,657 | 23.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 95.9 | 106.8 | 10.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 80.0 | 159.5 | 49.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 92.9 | 101.1 | 8.1% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 93.5 | 101.0 | 7.4% 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 Bismarck, you'd need $158,038 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Bismarck, ND is about 36.7% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 53% lower in Bismarck than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Bismarck, you'd need about $126,431 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.