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 | Grand Rapids | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,138/mo | $2,080/mo | 45.3% lower in A |
| Median home value | $203,900 | $783,300 | 74.0% lower in A |
| Median household income | $61,634 | $98,657 | 37.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 101.7 | 110.2 | 7.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 88.0 | 135.0 | 34.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 91.0 | 117.2 | 22.3% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 91.1 | 121.0 | 24.7% 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 Grand Rapids, you'd need $149,783 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Grand Rapids, MI is about 33.2% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 45% lower in Grand Rapids than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Grand Rapids, you'd need about $119,826 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.