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 | Columbus | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,161/mo | $2,080/mo | 44.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $212,500 | $783,300 | 72.9% lower in A |
| Median household income | $62,994 | $98,657 | 36.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 102.0 | 110.2 | 7.4% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.4 | 135.0 | 34.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.6 | 117.2 | 21.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.9 | 121.0 | 24.0% 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 Columbus, you'd need $148,093 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Columbus, OH is about 32.5% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 44% lower in Columbus than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Columbus, you'd need about $118,474 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.