Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and New York, NY 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in New York, NY is 20.5% higher than in San Diego, CA (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in New York, NY is 27.6% higher than in San Diego, CA | |
| Rent Prices in New York, NY are 37.2% higher than in San Diego, CA | |
| Restaurant Prices in New York, NY are 11.8% higher than in San Diego, CA | |
| Groceries Prices in New York, NY are 20.1% higher than in San Diego, CA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in New York, NY is 26.1% lower than in San Diego, CA | |
Restaurants | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 25.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 97.00 $ | 140.00 $ | +44.3 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 15.00 $ | 14.00 $ | -6.7 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 10.00 $ | 10.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.86 $ | 5.75 $ | -1.9 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.07 $ | 2.85 $ | -7.0 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.50 $ | 2.50 $ | -0.1 % |
Markets | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.24 $ | 1.30 $ | +4.6 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 4.22 $ | 4.26 $ | +0.8 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2.11 $ | 3.46 $ | +63.8 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 5.79 $ | 6.88 $ | +18.8 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.25 $ | 7.75 $ | +7.0 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.07 $ | 6.72 $ | +10.7 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 9.51 $ | 9.04 $ | -4.9 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.05 $ | 2.95 $ | +43.5 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 0.81 $ | 1.10 $ | +36.2 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 1.93 $ | 2.55 $ | +32.1 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.15 $ | 2.72 $ | +26.7 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.39 $ | 1.43 $ | +2.6 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.13 $ | 1.57 $ | +39.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.29 $ | 2.93 $ | +27.8 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.39 $ | 2.49 $ | +4.2 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 15.00 $ | 18.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 1.90 $ | 3.56 $ | +87.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.40 $ | 4.28 $ | +26.0 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 11.71 $ | 19.00 $ | +62.3 % |
Transportation | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 2.50 $ | 3.00 $ | +20.0 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 72.00 $ | 134.00 $ | +86.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 3.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.32 $ | 3.50 $ | +5.6 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 28.00 $ | 42.00 $ | +50.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.25 $ | 0.88 $ | -29.7 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 36,998.00 $ | 35,458.00 $ | -4.2 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 26,290.19 $ | 25,768.64 $ | -2.0 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 249.72 $ | 194.25 $ | -22.2 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 74.60 $ | 65.68 $ | -12.0 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 83.74 $ | 66.83 $ | -20.2 % |
Sports And Leisure | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 67.71 $ | 110.38 $ | +63.0 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 25.00 $ | 68.00 $ | +172.0 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 17.75 $ | 22.00 $ | +23.9 % |
Childcare | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 2,008.09 $ | 3,388.54 $ | +68.7 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 36,280.62 $ | 58,729.88 $ | +61.9 % |
Clothing And Shoes | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 65.72 $ | 68.86 $ | +4.8 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 56.55 $ | 55.31 $ | -2.2 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 109.88 $ | 116.87 $ | +6.4 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 131.89 $ | 158.67 $ | +20.3 % |
Rent Per Month | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,145.00 $ | 4,440.11 $ | +41.2 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,643.89 $ | 2,739.42 $ | +3.6 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 5,229.21 $ | 8,853.95 $ | +69.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,254.35 $ | 4,918.42 $ | +15.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 800.17 $ | 1,915.09 $ | +139.3 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 633.53 $ | 802.60 $ | +26.7 % |
Salaries And Financing | San Diego, CA Edit |
New York, NY Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,551.31 $ | 5,237.24 $ | -5.7 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.49 | 6.67 | +2.7 % |
| Last update: | 8 February 2026 | 13 February 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 94 | 273 | |
Moving to San Diego, CA? Explore:
Moving to New York, NY? Explore:
Cities near San Diego, CA: | Cost of Living in Dana Point, California | 65.05 miles |
| Cost of Living in Irvine, California | 84.59 miles |
| Cost of Living in Santa Ana, California | 89.45 miles |
| Cost of Living in Westminster, California | 94.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Huntington Beach, California | 95.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Anaheim, California | 96.10 miles |
| Cost of Living in Riverside, California | 101.37 miles |
| Cost of Living in Long Beach, California | 105.35 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Bernardino, California | 106.85 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fontana, California | 108.10 miles |
Cities near New York, NY: | Cost of Living in Jersey City, New Jersey | 4.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newark, New Jersey | 11.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Paterson, New Jersey | 17.95 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bergen County, New Jersey | 20.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hempstead, New York | 22.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in West Caldwell, New Jersey | 23.56 miles |
| Cost of Living in Woodbridge, New Jersey | 25.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Glen Cove, New York | 30.15 miles |