City comparison
Asheville, NC 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 15.9% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $115,900 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 $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.2% moving from Asheville, NC to San Diego, CA ($106,437 → $121,585), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,938 in San Diego | $86,253 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | San Diego, CA | Real change, Asheville → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,507 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,307 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,246 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,585 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,677 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $97,000 | $83,666 (+67.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $163,270 | $140,825 (+4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $96,340 | $83,096 (+3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $139,520 | $120,340 (+47.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.