City comparison
Portland, OR vs San Diego, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 6.1% higher than in Portland, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, OR would need about $106,100 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 $1,677 in Portland, OR. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 28% in Portland, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,850 a year higher in Portland, OR than in San Diego, CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.0% moving from Portland, OR to San Diego, CA ($114,684 → $121,585), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,134 in San Diego | $94,221 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$2,850/yr.
28 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Portland, OR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$2,850/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | San Diego, CA | Real change, Portland → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $70,507 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $85,307 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $102,246 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $121,585 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $143,677 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $97,000 | $91,394 (+11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $163,270 | $153,835 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $96,340 | $90,772 (−1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $139,520 | $131,457 (+0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.