City comparison
Knoxville, TN 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 20.9% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $120,900 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 $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.2% moving from Knoxville, TN to San Diego, CA ($106,437 → $121,585), while prices change by +20.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (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
| Knoxville, TN | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $120,869 in San Diego | $82,734 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +20.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN 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 Knoxville, TN to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | San Diego, CA | Real change, Knoxville → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,507 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,307 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,246 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,585 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,677 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $97,000 | $80,252 (+29.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $163,270 | $135,080 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $96,340 | $79,706 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $139,520 | $115,431 (+49.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.