City comparison
New York, NY vs San Diego, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in New York, NY (112.6) and San Diego, CA (111.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in New York, NY goes as far as $99,400 in San Diego, CA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $2,459 in San Diego, CA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 40% in San Diego, CA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.1% moving from New York, NY to San Diego, CA ($125,431 → $121,585), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)
- 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
| New York, NY | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,399 in San Diego | $100,604 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → San Diego, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$211/yr.
48 Fair offer
San Diego, CA → New York, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax −$211/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | San Diego, CA | Real change, New York → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $70,507 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $85,307 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $102,246 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $121,585 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $143,677 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $97,000 | $97,586 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $163,270 | $164,256 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $96,340 | $96,922 (−8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $139,520 | $140,363 (+17.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.