City comparison
San Diego, CA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Diego, CA are 28.0% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $128,000 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in San Diego, CA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,103 a year higher in San Diego, CA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.6% moving from San Diego, CA to Youngstown, OH ($121,585 → $111,138), while prices change by −21.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.0% in real buying power.
- San Diego, CA: price level 111.9 (much pricier)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Diego, CA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.9 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $78,109 in Youngstown | $128,026 in San Diego |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,459/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,690 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Diego | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 179.3 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 111.9 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Diego, CA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +28.0%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,103/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → San Diego, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −21.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$3,103/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Diego, CA is in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Diego, CA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Diego, CA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, San Diego → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,507 | $64,448 | +17.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,307 | $77,977 | +17.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,246 | $93,461 | +17.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,585 | $111,138 | +17.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,677 | $131,331 | +17.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Diego, CA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in San Diego dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,000 | $72,560 | $92,896 (−4.2%) |
| Software Developers | $163,270 | $107,990 | $138,255 (−15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $96,340 | $73,080 | $93,561 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,520 | $78,680 | $100,731 (−27.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.