City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 22.3% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $122,300 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.5% moving from San Diego, CA to Toledo, OH ($121,585 → $106,437), while prices change by −18.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $81,739 in Toledo | $122,341 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Toledo, OH | Real change, San Diego → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $61,722 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $74,678 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $89,508 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $106,437 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $125,776 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $63,250 | $77,381 (−20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $104,360 | $127,675 (−21.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $77,400 | $94,692 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $81,050 | $99,157 (−28.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.