Where the surf meets the turf.
Situated on the Pacific Ocean coastline, San Diego is a dream destination for beach lovers and outdoor enthusiasts alike. With a year-round Mediterranean climate, visitors and residents can expect pleasant weather to accompany them on the various adventures the city has to offer. From museums and zoos to beaches and parks, San Diego’s diverse attractions cater to a wide range of interests.
Whether you’re exploring the historic Gaslamp Quarter, catching a Padres game at Petco Park or simply soaking up the sun at La Jolla Cove, San Diego’s unique charm extends far beyond its average salary figures, making it a place where quality of life and experiences are truly priceless.
Choosing where to live, is a little bit more of a complicated decision beyond interests and entertainment opportunities. With the average salary of San Diego sitting around $69,288, it prompts us to break down the cost of living in San Diego and what you can truly afford should you choose to live in this vacation-esque city.
Rent
Rent prices in San Diego range from $2,358 for a studio apartment to $3,765 for a two-bedroom apartment, making the median monthly rent around $3,061. 30% of your income should be allocated for housing, money-saving experts recommend. Our rent calculator, after inputting the salary of $100,000, determined affordable rent to be around $2,500, applying the savings tip.
Transportation
A huge consideration when determining where to live is transportation. Whether you’re commuting to work or venturing out into the social scene, it’s important to know the best ways to get around. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System provides bus and trolley services across San Diego County and will run you an annual total of $864.
Food
Residents of San Diego aren’t short on food options. This city’s cuisine offerings range from authentic Mexican eats all the way to delicious pizza in Little Italy, with food trucks and farmers markets in between.
Groceries, for an average San Diego family, costs $6,264 annually but most families mix dining in with dining out. The average spend on dining out for a family in San Diego is $4,299 rounding out the total average spent on food $10,563.
Entertainment
Entertainment and other activities are vast in this beach city. Between concerts, beach days, sporting events and social activity hotspots, your free time opportunities are boundless.
On average, visitors and residents spend $48 a day on various activities. Goods and services in San Diego cost 10 percent more than the national average, but are absolutely worth the investment for personal and social growth.
Everything else
“America’s Finest City” has great offerings where spending and prioritizing are flexible to fit your budget with a $100,000 salary. However, the cost of life is a little less flexible if you’re right around the average salary in San Diego, which is again, just below $70,000 per year.
Keep in mind healthcare, taxes and other personalized costs you have to budget for. Sales tax in San Diego is 7.75 percent and the average healthcare costs are 7.2 percent above the national average. Making sure to remember these costs and tacked-on spending is important for saving.
San Diego job market at a glance
San Diego’s largest industries include tourism, technology, healthcare and military, with the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps holding the spot of the area’s largest employer. The job market has scored a 6.7/10 on U.S. News’s job market index, meaning it’s a healthy job market especially when compared to other cities of its size.
The other end of the job market spectrum is understanding the unemployment numbers. San Diego’s unemployment rate has risen a small bit over the last year with it currently sitting at 3.9% where it was at 3.4% last year. The U.S. unemployment rate is 3.8% meaning San Diego sits right alongside the national rate.
Settle down in San Diego
While it’s true that San Diego offers a vibrant lifestyle with numerous amenities, the cost of living can quickly diminish your income. To make the most of a $100,000 salary (or less) in this beautiful coastal city, individuals and families need to budget wisely, prioritize their spending and consider alternative strategies like investing and prioritizing what’s important.
If you’re looking to thrive in San Diego and strike the right balance between financial stability and enjoying all that this unique city has to offer, start and end your search with our list of apartments for rent.
