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 | Chico | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,360/mo | $2,080/mo | 34.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $427,600 | $783,300 | 45.4% lower in A |
| Median household income | $65,932 | $98,657 | 33.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.5 | 110.2 | 6.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 124.1 | 135.0 | 8.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.3 | 117.2 | 11.9% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.2 | 121.0 | 15.5% 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 Chico, you'd need $129,115 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chico, CA is about 22.5% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 35% lower in Chico than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Chico, you'd need about $103,292 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.