Head to head
San Bernardino, CA vs Tacoma, WA
Tacoma is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $198/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $10,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, San Bernardino is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | San Bernardino45 | Tacoma48 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $4,726 | $4,528 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $11,093 | $11,597 |
| Salary for comfort | $91,000/yr | $80,500/yr |
| Typical rent | $2,201 | $1,971 |
| Median home value | $384,900 | $454,600 |
| Median household income | $63,988 | $83,857 |
| Unemployment | 5.6% | 5.3% |
| Housing score | 17 | 35 |
| Jobs score | 20 | 24 |
| Safety score | 21 | 13 |
| Climate score | 98 | 92 |
| Amenities score | 58 | 48 |
| Population | 221.8K | 220.5K |
| Summer high / winter low | 93° / 43° | 75° / 38° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
San Bernardino, CA
Tacoma, WA