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 | Phoenix | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,322/mo | $2,080/mo | 36.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $340,200 | $783,300 | 56.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $72,092 | $98,657 | 26.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 125.1 | 125.1 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.6 | 104.6 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.1 | 104.1 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Phoenix, you'd need $157,337 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Phoenix, AZ is about 36.4% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 36% lower in Phoenix than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Phoenix, you'd need about $125,870 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.