City comparison
San Diego, CA vs San Luis Obispo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 3.0% higher than in San Luis Obispo, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in San Luis Obispo, CA would need about $103,000 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 $1,914 in San Luis Obispo, CA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 31% in San Luis Obispo, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from San Diego, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA ($121,585 → $124,085), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (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 | San Luis Obispo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 108.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,059 in San Luis Obispo | $103,030 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $1,914/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 31% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $50,770 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 144.4 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 147.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 108.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
69 Fair offer
San Luis Obispo, CA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; San Luis Obispo, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to San Luis Obispo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | San Luis Obispo, CA | Real change, San Diego → San Luis Obispo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $71,957 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $87,061 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $104,349 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $124,085 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $146,632 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $97,620 | $100,578 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $135,020 | $139,112 (−14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $88,160 | $90,832 (−5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $138,820 | $143,027 (+2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.