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 | Elizabeth | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,390/mo | $2,080/mo | 33.2% lower in A |
| Median home value | $358,400 | $783,300 | 54.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $59,939 | $98,657 | 39.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 95.7 | 110.2 | 13.2% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 92.4 | 135.0 | 31.5% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 86.0 | 117.2 | 26.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 90.4 | 121.0 | 25.3% 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 Elizabeth, you'd need $139,744 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Elizabeth, NJ is about 28.4% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 33% lower in Elizabeth than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Elizabeth, you'd need about $111,796 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.