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→Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs sits at the foot of Pikes Peak (which inspired America the Beautiful), with the Garden of the Gods' red rock formations rising on the city's western edge. The Air Force Academy chapel is one of the most striking pieces of modernist religious architecture in the country. It's drier and sunnier than people expect, with strong evangelical and military communities shaping the city's character. Outdoorsy in a quiet way.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,733/mo
$1,157/mo less than San Diego (67%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$463k
$548k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,234/mo
Colorado Springs has $1,566/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
184 days
148 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
75 days
days below 20°F per year
Colorado Springs drops below 20°F on 75 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
71 / 100
4.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
11 routes
44 fewer direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
769k metro
San Diego has 4.0x more events per month than Colorado Springs.
the verdict
4
San Diego
categories won
4
Colorado Springs
categories won
San Diego wins on weather and lifestyle, Colorado Springs wins on money. Dead even.
run your numbers
How far does your San Diego salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works