City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 2.8% higher than in Washington, DC. Someone earning $100,000 in Washington, DC would need about $102,800 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 $2,015 in Washington, DC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 33% in Washington, DC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Washington, DC than in San Diego, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from San Diego, CA to Washington, DC ($121,585 → $121,785), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (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 | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,316 in Washington | $102,758 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Washington, DC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
66 Fair offer
Washington, DC → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Washington, DC | Real change, San Diego → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $70,623 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $85,447 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $102,415 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $121,785 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $143,913 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Washington, DC | Washington pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $79,470 | $81,662 (−15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $154,930 | $159,203 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $102,140 | $104,957 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $102,710 | $105,543 (−24.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.