City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 12.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $112,100 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 $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from San Diego, CA to Waterbury, CT ($121,585 → $125,431), while prices change by −10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.7% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,177 in Waterbury | $112,136 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, San Diego → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $72,737 | +15.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $88,005 | +15.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $105,481 | +15.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $125,431 | +15.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $148,222 | +15.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $79,640 | $89,305 (−7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $131,290 | $147,223 (−9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $93,010 | $104,298 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $101,690 | $114,031 (−18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.