City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 3.1% higher than in Vallejo, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in Vallejo, CA would need about $103,100 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 $1,705 in Vallejo, CA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 28% in Vallejo, 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 +9.4% moving from San Diego, CA to Vallejo, CA ($121,585 → $133,060), while prices change by −3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.9% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (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 | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,954 in Vallejo | $103,142 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $1,705/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% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Vallejo, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
75 Strong offer
Vallejo, CA → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; 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; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Vallejo, CA | Real change, San Diego → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $77,161 | +12.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $93,358 | +12.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $111,896 | +12.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $133,060 | +12.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $157,236 | +12.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $100,790 | $103,956 (+7.2%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $136,930 | $141,232 (−13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $95,800 | $98,810 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $203,290 | $209,677 (+50.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.