Residential comparison · 13 facts
Los Angeles, CA vs San Diego, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Los Angeles needs about $85,000 in San Diego to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from San Diego, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Los Angeles.
A few differences
- San Diego is lower on sales tax (7.75% vs 9.5%).
- San Diego is lower on groceries index (108 vs 110).
- San Diego is higher on median household income ($98,000 vs $80,000).
Los Angeles vs San Diego · facet by facet
| Facet | Los Angeles, CA | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $950,000 | $950,000 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,100/mo | $3,150/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 9.5% | 7.75% |
| Cost of living index | 149 | 144 |
| Groceries index | 110 | 108 |
| Utilities | $205/mo | $180/mo |
| Median household income | $80,000 | $98,000 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 4.3% |
| Crime index | 48/100 | 38/100 |
| School rating | 6.0/10 | 7.0/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 284 days | 266 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Los Angeles, CA · San Diego, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Los Angeles cheaper than San Diego?
- San Diego has the lower day-to-day cost index (144 vs 149 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in San Diego equals $85,000 in Los Angeles?
- A household earning $85,000 in Los Angeles needs about $85,000 in San Diego to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of San Diego lifestyle costs about $85,000 in Los Angeles.