Cost of Living in San Diego

The cost of living in San Diego is reflected by an index of 98, with rent index at 95. This page helps compare living expenses, rent, groceries, and affordability in San Diego.

San Diego has a cost of living index of 98 and a rent index of 95. That makes it one of the more expensive places in this starter dataset. Grocery and restaurant costs are shown below to help users compare daily spending.

Cost of living index
98
Rent index
95
Groceries index
101
Restaurant index
103

Living cost snapshot

MetricValue
Cost of living index98
Rent index95
Groceries index101
Restaurant price index103
Local purchasing power107
1-bed rent in city centre$3,224
1-bed rent outside centre$2,549

Salary comparison link

Users often compare local prices with local pay. See the average salary in San Diego.

Compare San Diego with other US cities

Related US cost pages

FAQ

Is San Diego expensive?

This page shows the relative cost, rent, grocery, and restaurant indices so users can compare San Diego with other places in the US.

How much is rent in San Diego?

The sample dataset on this starter site uses a one-bedroom city-centre rent estimate of $3,224 per month.

Sources: Numbeo for cost of living metrics. Cost update: 2026-04-01. Salary context from BLS 2025.