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→Tampa
Tampa is the Cuban sandwich's other home (yes, there's a rivalry with Miami), with Ybor City's brick streets, rooster gangs, and cigar shops giving the city a flavor all its own. Bayshore Boulevard claims one of the longest continuous sidewalks in the country, perfect for sunset jogs. The beaches are a short drive west, the Lightning play hockey in the swamp, and the winters feel like other cities' best Aprils.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$2,890/mo
$1,996/mo
$894/mo less than San Diego (45%)
Median home price
Median home price
$1.0M
$374k
$637k less than San Diego
State income tax
State income tax
9.3%
0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,668/mo
$6,337/mo
Tampa has $1,669/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
243 days
89 fewer than San Diego
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
0 days
3 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
62 / 100
13.0 pts behind San Diego
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
55 routes
68 routes
13 more direct routes than San Diego
Metro size
Metro size
3.3M metro
3.3M metro
San Diego has 3.6x more events per month than Tampa.
the verdict
2
San Diego
categories won
5
Tampa
categories won
Tampa wins on money. San Diego has the edge on weather.
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