Question 1

Is Raleigh or San Diego cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Raleigh, NC is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,152/month less than in San Diego, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,750/mo in Raleigh versus $3,001/mo in San Diego.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Raleigh vs San Diego?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,500/year before tax in Raleigh, NC 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 Raleigh or San Diego cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Raleigh, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $9,872/month in Raleigh and $13,238/month in San Diego, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to Raleigh or San Diego?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Raleigh 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	Raleigh75	San Diego66
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,224	$5,376
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$9,872	$13,238
Salary for comfort	$78,500/yr	$106,500/yr
Typical rent	$1,750	$3,001
Median home value	$377,800	$848,500
Median household income	$82,424	$104,321
Unemployment	3.1%	4.3%
Housing score	56	10
Jobs score	88	51
Safety score	59	100
Climate score	100	100
Amenities score	62	95
Population	470.8K	1.4M
Summer high / winter low	90° / 31°	75° / 49°

Raleigh, NC vs San Diego, CA