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 | Blacksburg | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,237/mo | $2,080/mo | 40.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $387,700 | $783,300 | 50.5% lower in A |
| Median household income | $42,012 | $98,657 | 57.4% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 97.3 | 106.8 | 8.9% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 90.1 | 159.5 | 43.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 99.2 | 101.1 | 1.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 97.5 | 101.0 | 3.5% 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 Blacksburg, you'd need $153,227 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Blacksburg, VA is about 34.7% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 53% lower in Blacksburg than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Blacksburg, you'd need about $122,582 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.