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 | El Monte | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,605/mo | $2,080/mo | 22.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $597,200 | $783,300 | 23.8% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,929 | $98,657 | 39.3% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 105.8 | 110.2 | 4.0% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 127.8 | 135.0 | 5.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 108.0 | 117.2 | 7.8% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 108.6 | 121.0 | 10.2% 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 El Monte, you'd need $117,482 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
El Monte, CA is about 14.9% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 23% lower in El Monte than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in El Monte, you'd need about $93,986 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.