City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in San Diego, CA (111.9) and Urban Honolulu, HI (111.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in San Diego, CA goes as far as $99,200 in Urban Honolulu, HI.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,459 a month in San Diego, CA versus $2,016 in Urban Honolulu, HI. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 33% in Urban Honolulu, HI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $999 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in San Diego, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from San Diego, CA to Urban Honolulu, HI ($121,585 → $111,119), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.8% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,172 in Urban Honolulu | $100,835 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Urban Honolulu, HI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$999/yr.
59 Fair offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → San Diego, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$999/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, San Diego → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $64,438 | −7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $77,964 | −7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $93,445 | −7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $111,119 | −7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $131,310 | −7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $73,080 | $73,690 (−24.0%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $120,230 | $121,233 (−25.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $74,990 | $75,616 (−21.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $139,260 | $140,422 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.