Question 1

Is Los Angeles or San Diego cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Los Angeles, CA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $47/month less than in San Diego, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $2,903/mo in Los Angeles versus $3,001/mo in San Diego.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Los Angeles vs San Diego?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $105,000/year before tax in Los Angeles, CA and $106,500/year in San Diego, CA — a difference of about $1,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Los Angeles or San Diego cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Los Angeles, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $12,135/month in Los Angeles and $13,238/month in San Diego, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Los Angeles or San Diego?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Los Angeles 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	Los Angeles49	San Diego66
Est. monthly cost (single)	$5,329	$5,376
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$12,135	$13,238
Salary for comfort	$105,000/yr	$106,500/yr
Typical rent	$2,903	$3,001
Median home value	$879,500	$848,500
Median household income	$80,366	$104,321
Unemployment	5.3%	4.3%
Housing score	1	10
Jobs score	20	51
Safety score	47	100
Climate score	100	100
Amenities score	100	95
Population	3.9M	1.4M
Summer high / winter low	83° / 48°	75° / 49°

Los Angeles, CA vs San Diego, CA