City comparison
Richmond, VA 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 14.3% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $114,300 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 $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $5,070 in CA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Richmond, VA to San Diego, CA ($111,183 → $121,585), while prices change by +14.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.4% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| Richmond, VA | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 111.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,336 in San Diego | $87,461 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $2,459/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $58,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 179.3 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 108.0 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 174.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 111.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$135/yr.
15 Weak offer
San Diego, CA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$135/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; San Diego, CA is in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to San Diego, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | San Diego, CA | Real change, Richmond → San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $70,507 | −4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $85,307 | −4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $102,246 | −4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $121,585 | −4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $143,677 | −4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | San Diego, CA | San Diego pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $97,000 | $84,838 (+38.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $163,270 | $142,798 (+8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $96,340 | $84,260 (+0.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $139,520 | $122,026 (+30.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.