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 | Lowell | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,466/mo | $2,080/mo | 29.5% lower in A |
| Median home value | $362,800 | $783,300 | 53.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $73,008 | $98,657 | 26.0% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 96.5 | 110.2 | 12.5% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 93.4 | 135.0 | 30.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 87.4 | 117.2 | 25.4% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 92.3 | 121.0 | 23.7% 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 Lowell, you'd need $135,260 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Lowell, MA is about 26.1% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 30% lower in Lowell than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Lowell, you'd need about $108,208 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.