01 · the cities
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→Atlanta
Atlanta is hip-hop's current capital, with 'Peachtree' in seemingly every other street name and the busiest airport in the world acting as the city's front door. The Beltline turned old rail corridors into a 22-mile loop of murals, breweries, and joggers. Food culture spans soul food, Vietnamese banh mi in Buford Highway strip malls, and barbecue. The tree canopy is one of the densest in any major American city.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,814/mo
$1,076/mo less than San Diego (59%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$386k
$624k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
5.5%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,062/mo
Atlanta has $1,394/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
332 days
204 days
128 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
2 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
2 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
75 / 100
67 / 100
8.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
217 routes
162 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
6.3M metro
San Diego has 1.4x fewer events per month than Atlanta.
the verdict
2
San Diego
categories won
5
Atlanta
categories won
Atlanta wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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