on $100k a year, leaving Lafayette

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San Diego, CA cityscape

from lafayette

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

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities for live music and arts

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#3

of 10

Best cities for health and wellness

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#5

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

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#2

of 10

Best cities to escape the heat

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#9

of 10

Best cities for a $100k salary

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#1

of 10

Best cities for outdoor athletes

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#2

of 10

Best cities with year-round outdoor weather

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#1

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Best cities for cyclists

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#2

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Best cities to live in California

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#2

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Best cities for dog owners

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#2

of 10

Best cities with mild winters

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,083

more each month than Lafayette ran you

San Diego doesn't pretend to be affordable. Move here for what San Diego is, not for what it leaves on your monthly ledger.
landable, recorded on the san diego entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$2,890/mo

117% more expensive than Lafayette(vs $1,332/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$525/mo more in state tax than Lafayette

vs 3% in Lafayette

03after rent

$4,668/mo

$2,083 less than Lafayette

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

04a house here

$1010k

405% more expensive than Lafayette

vs $200k in Lafayette

05metro size

3.3M

vs 414k in Lafayette

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

332

pleasant days a year, in san diego.

Lafayette only logs 211 pleasant days.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 34.8× more on the calendar than Lafayette.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

75/100

74% higher than Lafayette

vs 43/100 in Lafayette

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

·walk score®

99/100

16% higher than Lafayette

vs 85/100 in Lafayette

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

55

1733% more than Lafayette

vs 3 nonstops in Lafayette

04 · see also

neighbors of san diego on the map of tradeoffs:

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