on $100k a year, leaving St. Louis

change
San Diego, CA cityscape

if you left st. louis

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

of 10

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

$1,863

pricier each month than St. Louis

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

105% more expensive than St. Louis(vs $1,411/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$383/mo more in state tax than St. Louis

vs 4.7% in St. Louis

03after rent

$4,668/mo

$1,863 less than St. Louis

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

04a house here

$1010k

265% more expensive than St. Louis

vs $277k in St. Louis

05metro size

3.3M

vs 2.8M in St. Louis

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

332

pleasant days a year, in san diego.

St. Louis only logs 174 pleasant days.

2.2× the events of St. Louis, and the calendar shows it.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

75/100

10% higher than St. Louis

vs 68/100 in St. Louis

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

·walk score®

99/100

14% higher than St. Louis

vs 87/100 in St. Louis

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

55

8% fewer than St. Louis

vs 60 nonstops in St. Louis

04 · see also

cities that play in san diego's register:

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