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 | Rochester | San Diego | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,218/mo | $2,080/mo | 41.4% lower in A |
| Median home value | $268,800 | $783,300 | 65.7% lower in A |
| Median household income | $83,973 | $98,657 | 14.9% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 102.9 | 110.2 | 6.7% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 89.4 | 135.0 | 33.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 93.0 | 117.2 | 20.6% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 93.8 | 121.0 | 22.4% 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 Rochester, you'd need $144,008 in San Diego to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Rochester, MN is about 30.6% cheaper overall than San Diego, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 41% lower in Rochester than in San Diego. If you earn $80,000 in Rochester, you'd need about $115,206 in San Diego to keep the same standard of living.