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→Philadelphia
Philadelphia is cheesesteaks (the Pat's vs. Geno's argument is mostly theater), the Italian Market, and the Liberty Bell sitting modestly in a glass pavilion. Murals are everywhere (the city runs the largest public art program in the country). The Eagles fans climbing light poles is folklore for a reason. The food scene punches way above its weight and the bar scene knows it.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,869/mo
$1,021/mo less than San Diego (55%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$393k
$617k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
6.8%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$5,896/mo
Philadelphia has $1,228/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
173 days
159 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
21 days
days below 20°F per year
Philadelphia drops below 20°F on 21 more days per year than San Diego.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
75 / 100
69 / 100
6.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
122 routes
67 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
6.2M metro
San Diego and Philadelphia have similar event volume.
the verdict
3
San Diego
categories won
5
Philadelphia
categories won
Philadelphia wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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