01 · the cities
Honolulu
Honolulu is Waikiki's high-rises pressed against turquoise water, Diamond Head crater glowing pink at dawn, and plate lunches that mix Hawaiian, Japanese, Filipino, Korean, and Portuguese into one perfect styrofoam container. Surf the south shore in summer, the north in winter. The North Shore is a 45-minute drive into a totally different world. Aloha here is a way of moving through the day.
full dispatch→San Diego
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.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,843/mo
$2,890/mo
Median home price
Median home price
$1.1M
$1.0M
$51k less than Honolulu
State income tax
State income tax
11.0%
9.3%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,574/mo
$4,668/mo
San Diego has $94/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
316 days
332 days
16 more than Honolulu
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
0 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
San Diego edges ahead on pleasant days, but both cities have comparable comfort overall.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
55 / 100
75 / 100
20.0 pts ahead of Honolulu
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
51 routes
55 routes
4 more direct routes than Honolulu
Metro size
Metro size
989k metro
3.3M metro
Honolulu has 1.8x fewer events per month than San Diego.
the verdict
0
Honolulu
categories won
6
San Diego
categories won
San Diego wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
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