People often move to California for its warmth, numerous outdoor activities, beaches, and beauty. Many of them go south, becoming some of the nearly 1.4 million people in San Diego. The Pacific Ocean borders this warm-weather city on its west, the Cuyamaca Rancho State Park to its east, and Mexico to its south making it attractive to a range of different residents. Surfing, hiking, shopping, exploring—there’s much to do in this versatile city.
The cost of living in San Diego reflects its widespread attraction, which has a reputation as being expensive. But is it really that expensive? And if so, is it worth living here anyway?
Affordable Even for Singles
While San Diego is the second-largest city in California by population (well behind Los Angeles), it boasts a lower cost of living than smaller cities like Irvine, San Jose, and Oakland. The current price of living in San Diego is roughly $2,400 a month ($28,800 per year), including rent, gas, utilities, internet, and groceries.
Statewide, unemployment is hovering at an average of 7.5 percent, but unemployment in San Diego is only 5.7 percent. Available jobs run the gamut of industries, including hospitality, financial, technology, transportation, and education. The average annual salary here, as reported by ZipRecruiter, is $68,564—meaning that the cost of living in San Diego is affordable, even for singles renting apartments.
Of course, finding the ideal place to live is not just about the cost.
Mild-Weather Living
San Diego has a relatively mild climate, with average weather throughout the year ranging from lows in the high-40s to mid-60s and highs from the mid-60s to mid-70s. The winter months are the rainiest, but even those don’t typically have more than seven days of rain spread throughout three weeks of sunshine. The average November—the “darkest” month—sees 212 hours of daylight!
This temperate climate makes San Diego attractive to people of all ages, and the city was recently ranked one of the best cities in the U.S. to retire. This is due to the weather and its enticing art scene, world-class hospitals, and other amenities.
So Much at Your Doorstep
Depending on where you move in the city, you may even be able to leave the car behind and use mass transit—reducing the cost of living in San Diego even more. With its easy grid layout, the downtown area is highly walkable, and the 1,200-acre Balboa Park offers the famous San Diego Zoo, gardens, theaters, a handful of museums, and more.
More museums and Seaport Village are located harborside, and each of the city’s more than 100 neighborhoods contains restaurants worth visiting and revisiting. The city is a foodie’s dream, from authentic Italian dishes in Little Italy to traditional Japanese food at the Michelin-starred Sushi Tadokoro in Old Town. San Diego is also the unofficial craft beer capital, with more than 150 craft breweries and pubs scattered throughout the region.
Moving to San Diego?
So, which neighborhood will appeal to you? Discover the allure and reasonable cost of living in San Diego with expert real estate professionals at Amanica.
