on $100k a year, leaving Chattanooga

change
San Diego, CA cityscape

swapping out of chattanooga

San Diego

ca · metro 3.3M

photo: Justin Wolff / unsplash

a dispatch from

san diego

CA

32.72°N

117.16°W

San Diego is the city most Californians secretly wish they lived in: 70°F, sunny, and a beach for every mood. Fish tacos are religion, Balboa Park is bigger than Central Park and packed with museums, and the craft beer scene is one of the best in the country. The zoo is world-famous and the burritos are aggressively underrated. Even the freeways feel relaxed here.

metro3.3M

in our guides

#4

of 10

Most walkable cities in America

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#9

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Best cities for live music and arts

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#3

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Best cities for health and wellness

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#5

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Best cities for parks and green space

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#2

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Best cities to escape the heat

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#9

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Best cities for a $100k salary

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#1

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Best cities for outdoor athletes

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#2

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Best cities with year-round outdoor weather

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#2

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#2

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Best cities with mild winters

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,141

more each month than Chattanooga ran you

San Diego costs noticeably more than Chattanooga. You'd be paying for San Diego itself, not for breathing room around it.
landable, recorded on the san diego entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,890/mo

90% more expensive than Chattanooga(vs $1,524/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$775/mo more in state tax than Chattanooga

vs 0% in Chattanooga

03after rent

$4,668/mo

$2,141 less than Chattanooga

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$1010k

214% more expensive than Chattanooga

vs $322k in Chattanooga

05metro size

3.3M

vs 580k in Chattanooga

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

332

pleasant days a year, in san diego.

Chattanooga only manages 167 of those.

A month here packs 7.6× the events of Chattanooga.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

75/100

9% higher than Chattanooga

vs 69/100 in Chattanooga

Closest outdoor draw: Silver Strand State Beach, 4.8 mi.

·walk score®

99/100

21% higher than Chattanooga

vs 82/100 in Chattanooga

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

55

588% more than Chattanooga

vs 8 nonstops in Chattanooga

04 · see also

same energy as san diego, different zip code:

see also

honolulu

more things to do

turn the page

see also

oxnard

better weather

turn the page

see also

san luis obispo

more things to do

turn the page

compare san diego with:

HonoluluOxnardSan Luis Obispo