on $100k a year, leaving San Diego
changea dispatch from
provo
UT
40.23°N
111.66°W
Provo is BYU and the Mormon culture's center of gravity, with a downtown that's quieter than most college towns (no Saturday football beer crowds here). The Wasatch Mountains rise right behind it, with Sundance ski resort 30 minutes up the canyon. Provo Canyon and Bridal Veil Falls are summer go-tos. The tech scene (Qualtrics, Domo) has reshaped the local economy. Beautiful in a calm, ordered way.
in our guides
the verdict
lighter monthly cost than San Diego
Provo is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
a quick ledger.
$1,743/mo
40% cheaper than San Diego(vs $2,890/mo)
4.65%
$387/mo less in state tax than San Diego
vs 9.3% in San Diego
$6,203/mo
$1,535 more than San Diego
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$559k
45% cheaper than San Diego
vs $1010k in San Diego
733k
vs 3.3M in San Diego
field notes, weather & such.
171
pleasant days a year, in provo.
San Diego has the edge here, logging 332 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 44 days below 20°, vs 0 in San Diego.
Lighter on events: San Diego packs 174.0× more into a month.
81/100
8% higher than San Diego
vs 75/100 in San Diego
Closest outdoor draw: Wasatch Mountain State Park, 20.4 mi.
89/100
10% lower than San Diego
vs 99/100 in San Diego
91
65% more than San Diego
vs 55 nonstops in San Diego
same energy as provo, different zip code:
compare provo with:
