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→Cape Coral
Cape Coral has over 400 miles of navigable canals, more than any city in the world, which means many homes literally have boat docks in the backyard. It's a planned community that grew up around water, with easy access to the Caloosahatchee River and the Gulf. The boating, fishing, and manatee-watching are the main events. It's flat, sunny, and built for waterfront life.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,859/mo
$1,031/mo less than San Diego (55%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$355k
$655k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,474/mo
Cape Coral has $1,806/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
250 days
82 fewer than San Diego
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
75 / 100
55 / 100
20.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
33 routes
22 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
835k metro
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
4
Cape Coral
categories won
Cape Coral wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather and lifestyle.
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