on $100k a year, leaving Lansing

change
San Diego, CA cityscape

instead of lansing

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

of 10

Best cities to live in California

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#2

of 10

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

$2,052

more each month than Lansing 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

130% more expensive than Lansing(vs $1,259/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$421/mo more in state tax than Lansing

vs 4.25% in Lansing

03after rent

$4,668/mo

$2,052 less than Lansing

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

04a house here

$1010k

315% more expensive than Lansing

vs $244k in Lansing

05metro size

3.3M

vs 473k in Lansing

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

332

pleasant days a year, in san diego.

Lansing only logs 153 pleasant days.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 9.7× more on the calendar than Lansing.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

75/100

32% higher than Lansing

vs 57/100 in Lansing

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

·walk score®

99/100

24% higher than Lansing

vs 80/100 in Lansing

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

55

817% more than Lansing

vs 6 nonstops in Lansing

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