San Diego, California
Living in San Diego, California is about 28% more expensive than the national average, with a cost of living index of 128 (US = 100). Typical rent is $2,967 a month, 54% above the national figure of $1,932, and regular gas costs $5.71 a gallon versus $3.98 nationally as of November 11, 2026. Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance take about 51% of the area's $102,285 median household income.
Key Numbers
Gas (Regular)
$5.71
National: $3.98
Avg Rent (All)
$2,967
National: $1,932
Grocery Inflation
1.77%
Year-over-year
Fast Food Avg
$15.50
Combo meal
Electricity
29.75¢
per kWh · ~$268/mo
Car Insurance
$210/mo
$2,520/yr
Median Household Income
$102,285
50.7% goes to essentials
Car Insurance
Avg $2,520 in San Diego. Compare rates:
📸 Help make this data more accurate
Some prices above are regional estimates. Submit a receipt from a local store to help us show what San Diego residents actually pay.
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Find Apartments
Avg rent $2,967/mo in San Diego. Browse listings:
Grocery Prices
Grocery Prices — 2000 to Present
National BLS averages · submit local prices below ↓
Eggs (dozen)
Avian flu volatility
$0.97 in 2000 → $2.32 BLS avg
Milk (gallon)
$2.79 in 2000 → $4.10 BLS avg
$3.99 @ Ralphs - Downtown San Diego (RALPHS) (Mar 2026)
Bread (loaf)
$0.91 in 2000 → $1.86 BLS avg
$2.99 @ Ralphs - Downtown San Diego (RALPHS) (Mar 2026)
Ground Beef (lb)
$1.48 in 2000 → $6.75 BLS avg
Chicken Breast (lb)
$1.06 in 2000 → $2.03 BLS avg
$5.00 @ Ralphs - Downtown San Diego (RALPHS) (Mar 2026)
Bacon (lb)
$2.75 in 2000 → $6.69 BLS avg
Cheddar Cheese (lb)
$3.84 in 2000 → $6.13 BLS avg
Pasta (lb)
$0.88 in 2000 → $1.38 BLS avg
Rice (5 lb)
$2.50 in 2000 → $5.50 BLS avg
Coffee (12 oz)
$2.65 in 2000 → $6.94 BLS avg
Orange Juice (64 oz)
Citrus shortage
$5.42 estimate
Potatoes (5 lb)
$1.96 in 2000 → $4.95 BLS avg
Apples (3 lb)
$5.20 estimate
Tomatoes (lb)
$1.44 in 2000 → $2.08 BLS avg
Lettuce (head)
$0.75 in 2000 → $1.96 BLS avg
Cooking Oil (48 oz)
$7.76 estimate
Yogurt (32 oz)
$4.94 estimate
Cereal (family size)
$6.20 estimate
Frozen Pizza
$8.65 estimate
| Item | 2000 | 2005 | 2010 | 2015 | 2020 | 2022 | 2026 | Since 2000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs (dozen)Avian flu volatility | $0.97 | $1.21 | $1.79 | $2.11 | $1.46 | $1.93 | $2.32 | +137.9% |
| Milk (gallon)$3.99 @ Ralphs - Downtown San Diego (RALPHS) (Mar 2026) | $2.79 | $3.30 | $3.24 | $3.76 | $3.25 | $3.79 | $4.10 | +47.3% |
| Bread (loaf)$2.99 @ Ralphs - Downtown San Diego (RALPHS) (Mar 2026) | $0.91 | $1.00 | $1.36 | $1.48 | $1.35 | $1.55 | $1.86 | +105.2% |
| Ground Beef (lb) | $1.48 | $2.19 | $2.28 | $4.24 | $3.89 | $4.55 | $6.75 | +355.5% |
| Chicken Breast (lb)$5.00 @ Ralphs - Downtown San Diego (RALPHS) (Mar 2026) | $1.06 | $1.03 | $1.26 | $1.55 | $1.41 | $1.62 | $2.03 | +91.3% |
| Bacon (lb) | $2.75 | $3.37 | $3.63 | $5.59 | $5.50 | $7.22 | $6.69 | +143.1% |
| Cheddar Cheese (lb) | $3.84 | $4.21 | $4.72 | $5.40 | $5.20 | $5.32 | $6.13 | +59.6% |
| Pasta (lb) | $0.88 | $0.94 | $1.15 | $1.26 | $1.23 | $1.12 | $1.38 | +57.1% |
| Rice (5 lb) | $2.50 | $2.98 | $3.77 | $3.46 | $3.58 | $4.16 | $5.50 | +120.6% |
| Coffee (12 oz) | $2.65 | $2.29 | $2.86 | $3.55 | $3.13 | $3.85 | $6.94 | +161.3% |
| Orange Juice (64 oz)Citrus shortageLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $3.72 | $5.42 | +45.7% since 2022 |
| Potatoes (5 lb) | $1.96 | $2.29 | $2.81 | $3.34 | $4.01 | $3.96 | $4.95 | +152.6% |
| Apples (3 lb)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.49 | $5.20 | +15.8% since 2022 |
| Tomatoes (lb) | $1.44 | $1.66 | $1.84 | $2.09 | $2.22 | $1.89 | $2.08 | +44.4% |
| Lettuce (head) | $0.75 | $0.82 | $0.90 | $1.17 | $1.34 | — | $1.96 | +162.3% |
| Cooking Oil (48 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $5.54 | $7.76 | +40.1% since 2022 |
| Yogurt (32 oz)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.15 | $4.94 | +19.0% since 2022 |
| Cereal (family size)Local estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $4.79 | $6.20 | +29.4% since 2022 |
| Frozen PizzaLocal estimate | — | — | — | — | — | $6.31 | $8.65 | +37.1% since 2022 |
Dining & Restaurants
Fast Food Meal
$15.50
Casual Dining
$36.00
Monthly Spend
$530
+4.8% YoYChain Restaurant Meal Prices — 2022 vs. Today
Combo meal / typical order for one
McDonald's
2022: $9.69
$15.50
+60.0%Wendy's
2022: $10.46
$16.74
+60.0%Chipotle
2022: $10.85
$17.36
+60.0%Starbucks
2022: $5.33
$6.51
+22.1%Eating out more? Save on groceries with Ibotta and cook at home more often.
Looking for an Apartment in San Diego?
Average 1BR: $2,433/mo · 2BR: $3,501/mo
Local Workforce
2024 · BLS QCEWTotal Jobs
1537k
Median Weekly Pay
$1,593
$83k/yr
Top Sector
Professional & Business Services
Household vs Worker Pay
$102k
household median
Employment by Sector — San Diego
% of local workforce · avg weekly wage · 5-year growth trend
~$120k/yr
~$65k/yr
~$64k/yr
~$39k/yr
~$118k/yr
Source: BLS QCEW 2024 Annual · County FIPS 06073
Highest Paying Sector
Professional & Business Services
$2,300/wk · $120k/yr
Most Workers (lowest wage)
Leisure & Hospitality
$747/wk · $39k/yr
San Diego Cost of Living FAQ
Is San Diego, CA expensive to live in?
San Diego has a cost of living index of 128, where 100 is the US average, so it is about 28% more expensive than average. It is the 6th most affordable of the 30 California cities we track.
What is the average rent in San Diego, CA?
Typical rent in San Diego is $2,967 a month for all home types as of September 2026, 54% above the national figure of $1,932. One bedroom units average about $2,433 and two bedrooms about $3,501. Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index for the metro area.
Is rent going up in San Diego?
Rent in San Diego rose 2.2% over the past year, slower than the 2.7% change nationally.
How much is gas in San Diego?
Regular unleaded costs about $5.71 a gallon in San Diego as of November 11, 2026, based on the AAA average for California. That is 44% above the national average of $3.98.
How much is electricity in San Diego?
Homes in California pay an average of 29.8 cents per kWh (EIA), versus 18.4 cents nationally. At 900 kWh a month, a typical bill in San Diego is about $268.
How much is car insurance in San Diego?
Full coverage car insurance averages $2,520 a year in California, or about $210 a month (Bankrate and NAIC state average), compared with $2,150 a year nationally.
How much do you need to live in San Diego?
Median household income in the San Diego area is $102,285 (Census ACS 2023, county level). Rent, gas, groceries, electricity and car insurance add up to about $51,876 a year, or 51% of that income. Groceries are counted at $7,112 a year, the average household spend on food at home in the region (BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey).
How does San Diego compare with the rest of California?
Rent in San Diego is 22% above the $2,424 average across the 30 California cities we track, and its cost of living index of 128 compares with a state average of 137.
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