City comparison
Allentown, PA vs San Diego, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $111,900 in San Diego, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,000 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from Allentown, PA to San Diego, CA ($125,431 → $121,585), while prices change by +11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.4% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,923 in San Diego | $89,347 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$2,000/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$2,000/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | San Diego, CA | Real change, Allentown → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $70,507 | −13.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $85,307 | −13.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $102,246 | −13.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $121,585 | −13.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $143,677 | −13.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $97,000 | $86,667 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $163,270 | $145,877 (+18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $96,340 | $86,077 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $139,520 | $124,657 (+22.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.