City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 9.1% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $109,100 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 $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from San Diego, CA to Worcester, MA ($121,585 → $120,548), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,631 in Worcester | $109,134 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
96 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
20 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Worcester, MA | Real change, San Diego → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $69,905 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $84,579 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $101,375 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $120,548 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $142,452 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $82,810 | $90,374 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $146,950 | $160,372 (−1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $94,070 | $102,662 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $100,240 | $109,395 (−21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.