City comparison
Lincoln, NE 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 22.2% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $122,200 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 $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,400 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.2% moving from Lincoln, NE to San Diego, CA ($106,437 → $121,585), while prices change by +22.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.5% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much 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
| Lincoln, NE | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $122,173 in San Diego | $81,851 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.1%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,400/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,400/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | San Diego, CA | Real change, Lincoln → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,507 | −6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,307 | −6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,246 | −6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,585 | −6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,677 | −6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $97,000 | $79,396 (+28.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $163,270 | $133,639 (+31.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $96,340 | $78,856 (+21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $139,520 | $114,199 (+30.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.