Question 1

Is San Diego or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, WA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $585/month less than in San Diego, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $3,001/mo in San Diego versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in San Diego vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $106,500/year before tax in San Diego, CA and $86,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $20,500. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is San Diego or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $13,238/month in San Diego and $12,749/month in Seattle, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to San Diego or Seattle?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Seattle 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	San Diego66	Seattle59
Est. monthly cost (single)	$5,376	$4,791
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$13,238	$12,749
Salary for comfort	$106,500/yr	$86,000/yr
Typical rent	$3,001	$2,501
Median home value	$848,500	$912,100
Median household income	$104,321	$121,984
Unemployment	4.3%	4.7%
Housing score	10	34
Jobs score	51	35
Safety score	100	40
Climate score	100	92
Amenities score	95	90
Population	1.4M	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	75° / 49°	76° / 37°

San Diego, CA vs Seattle, WA