City comparison
Greeley, CO 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 11.7% higher than in Greeley, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Greeley, CO would need about $111,700 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 $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 20% in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,379 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Greeley, CO to San Diego, CA ($118,675 → $121,585), while prices change by +11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.3% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (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
| Greeley, CO | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,690 in San Diego | $89,533 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,379/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Greeley, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,379/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | San Diego, CA | Real change, Greeley → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $70,507 | −8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $85,307 | −8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $102,246 | −8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $121,585 | −8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $143,677 | −8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $97,000 | $86,847 (+44.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $163,270 | $146,181 (+12.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $96,340 | $86,256 (−1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $139,520 | $124,917 (+29.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.