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September 2026 report · San Diego, CA

San Diego, CA Relocation Calculator

Thinking about moving to the San Diego, CA area? See what a household needs to cover its bills here, and how much income is left over or falls short each month. The figures are for the area around San Diego City Hall (ZIP code 92101).

Chamber of Commerce: San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce (opens in a new tab)

TrueCOLA U.S. Relocation Calculator

in San Diego, CA

Figures for the area around San Diego City Hall.

Monthly Surplus/Shortfall by housing path

Select one

Each month, after taxes and required costs Shortfall

-$514.65

Two adults, renter, in San Diego, CA, September 2026

Gross income
$11,631.84up to the line
Modeled taxes
$2,408.35federal, payroll, state
Housing
$3,108.67rent
Healthcare
$1,474.00health insurance
Everyday essentials
$5,155.47food, transportation, more
Short
$514.65shortfall
Published comparison with the U.S.
+$1,460.01
a month, same household
Take-home pay
$9,223.49
per month, published

Monthly expenses in San Diego

Two adults, renter, September 2026.

$9,738.14required costs a month
Housing
$3,108.67
Rent, current asking rent · 31.92% of costs
Healthcare
$1,474.00
Health insurance, two average marketplace premiums before subsidy · 15.14% of costs
Everyday essentials
$5,155.47
the nine lines below · 52.94% of costs

Everyday essentials

Food & beverages $1,837.5218.87% of costs
Transportation $1,684.7117.30% of costs
Apparel $382.683.93% of costs
Recreation $351.543.61% of costs
Utilities $340.143.49% of costs
Other goods & services $199.472.05% of costs
Education $157.511.62% of costs
Telephone $136.951.41% of costs
Internet $64.950.67% of costs

Compare with where you live now

Type the ZIP code where you live now. Until then, this compares with the U.S.

Try
Now · the U.S.
-$1,974.66
Here · San Diego
-$514.65
+$1,460.01a month. The local household benchmark is higher.

Local take-home pay differs by +$3,071.36; required costs differ by +$1,611.35. The margin difference is the pay difference minus the cost difference. Your own pay and taxes may change differently when you move.

What changes between the two places, by line
NowHere
Take-home pay$6,152.13$9,223.49
Housing$1,932.72$3,108.67
Healthcare$1,471.01$1,474.00
Everyday essentials$4,723.07$5,155.47
Required costs$8,126.79$9,738.14

Every household in San Diego

Renter. 1 of 7 households have a surplus here. Select one to switch the dashboard.

Where San Diego stands

Two adults, renter. The scale runs from the largest shortfall (red) to the largest surplus (green).

All 50 states 0 of 50 with a surplus
U.S. -$1,974.66 San Diego -$514.65
Lowest -$3,464.82
West Virginia Highest -$623.64
North Dakota

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“In September 2026, the monthly margin for two adults (renter) in San Diego, CA is -$514.65 after modeled taxes and required costs. This is an area benchmark; a ZIP lookup uses the area with most of its homes when the ZIP spans multiple areas.”

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Figures from the September 2026 report. Rent data: Data Provided by Zillow Group.

San Diego beside California and the nation

Two adults, renter, September 2026.

Rent data: Data Provided by Zillow Group.

The figures on this page are for the area that holds San Diego City Hall. To see another part of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area, enter its ZIP code in the By ZIP Code calculator.

Other destinations

More ways to compare

How the calculator works

Select a household type. The calculator shows that household’s published figures from the September 2026 report: gross monthly income, modeled taxes, net monthly income, required costs for housing, healthcare, and other essentials, and the monthly surplus or shortfall that remains. The margin is net income minus required costs. The margin is not an inflation rate and does not replace the CPI.

To evaluate a move, look up where you live now and note its surplus or shortfall, then look up the place you are considering. Because every place is calculated the same way, the two results can be compared directly.

To see an estimate based on your own income, move the slider to your gross monthly pay. That calculation runs only in your browser, is labeled as your estimate, and is never sent or saved. The published figures use the renter track; the calculator also shows three homeowner tracks for every place.

The basket is a market-price standard: current asking rent and unsubsidized average marketplace premiums. It can run above what a settled household pays, and the methodology states this.

For full details, see the methodology page. Rent data: Data Provided by Zillow Group.