Question 1

Is Detroit or San Diego cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,298/month less than in San Diego, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $3,001/mo in San Diego.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs San Diego?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,500/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $106,500/year in San Diego, CA — a difference of about $28,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or San Diego cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $9,052/month in Detroit and $13,238/month in San Diego, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or San Diego?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Detroit58	San Diego66
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,078	$5,376
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$9,052	$13,238
Salary for comfort	$78,500/yr	$106,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$3,001
Median home value	$76,800	$848,500
Median household income	$39,575	$104,321
Unemployment	10.7%	4.3%
Housing score	61	10
Jobs score	36	51
Safety score	18	100
Climate score	79	100
Amenities score	82	95
Population	636.6K	1.4M
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	75° / 49°

Detroit, MI vs San Diego, CA