🇺🇸 CA, United States · #33 of 538 cities · 2026

Cost of Living in San Diego

7.4% above the United States average

Ranked #33 of 538 cities · More expensive than 93.9% of cities worldwide

Compared to United States average

Rent Prices

Rent Prices in San Diego

Apartment City Centre Outside Centre You Save
1-Bedroom USD 3,183/mo USD 2,770/mo 13%
3-Bedroom USD 5,337/mo USD 4,241/mo 13%
Numbeo · 2026-03-12

Multi-Source Comparison

★★ Medium Confidence

San Diego has a composite cost index of 64.9 from 3 independent data sources.

64.9
Composite
3
Sources
3.8
Spread

Source Values (NYC = 100)

Numbeo
61.1
Expatistan
64.9
LivingCost
No data
SIM
83.4
Eurostat Validation (EU27 = 100) Gov. Data
Eurostat
124.2

Based on 108 country PLI x 1.15 city factor

View all 127 cities | Data last updated: 2026-03-18

Cost Indices

Cost of Living
+7.4% Average
Rent
+28.1% Very expensive
Groceries
+0.2% Average
Restaurants
+10.6% Expensive
Purchasing Power
-9.0% Weak

Living in San Diego: What to Expect

San Diego is average by global standards (ranked #33 of 538 cities). It is 7.4% more expensive than the United States average, based on 74 cities.

Groceries are average, while dining out is expensive. Groceries offers the best value, while Rent is the priciest.

Local purchasing power is limited — residents can afford fewer goods and services than in most cities.

Similar Cities

How Does San Diego Compare?

Planning a Move to San Diego?

Compare cost of living with your current city, or calculate your net salary after tax.

Decision guide
Should I Move to San Diego?
Rankings
Cheapest Cities in the World

Relocation Toolkit

Trusted services for your move

We may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you.