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 | Charlotte | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,399/mo | $2,080/mo | 32.7% lower in A |
| Median home value | $312,800 | $783,300 | 60.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $74,070 | $98,657 | 24.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 102.4 | 110.2 | 7.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 100.3 | 135.0 | 25.7% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 88.7 | 117.2 | 24.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 105.6 | 121.0 | 12.7% 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 Charlotte, you'd need $133,933 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Charlotte, NC is about 25.3% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% lower in Charlotte than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Charlotte, you'd need about $107,146 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.