San Diego is California’s second largest city and is often referred to as “America’s Finest City.” The perks of living on or near the Californian coast are always visible here with miles of some of the most pristine and relaxing beaches and an inviting, laid-back culture. Some of the more unique attractions and highlights of the city include:
- Balboa Park’s gardens and museum
- Comic-con
- the craft beer scene
- San Diego Zoo and Safari Park
- Some of the best year-round weather in the world
Whether you’ve decided to move there for personal or professional reasons, Eckert’s Moving and Storage is the relocation team you want to entrust your furniture and other belongings to, especially when moving here from out of state. However, there are some things that need to be considered before making the final decision to move there. One of the factors are the higher cost of living if you are coming from southern states.
What is the most important aspect of moving to San Diego to consider?
Without a doubt, the first thing you want to consider about moving to San Diego is how much money you will need in order to live there comfortably. In other words, what is the San Diego cost of living compared to the rest of the US? When looking at the “overall” picture, given the US cost of living index being 100, the cost of living for California is 149.9 while San Diego is 160.1, a little over 10 points higher. In this case, the term “overall” refers to the total of all COL categories weighted as follows:
- food and groceries 15%
- healthcare 7%
- housing 30%
- transportation 10%
- utilities 6%
- misc. expenses (e.g., clothing, entertainment, services, etc.) 32%
San Diego’s vibrant economy is driven by biotechnology, manufacturing, the military, research, and tourism. Its robust military presence is evidenced by having the largest naval fleet in the world based there. With plenty of employment opportunities in most fields, if you plan on moving here, there are many suburbs that are alluring and more affordable than being in the heart of the city. Thus, based on your income opportunities, you can select the community that you’d like to be in.
So how do the COL categories break down individually?
In order to get a better idea of San Diego’s cost of living, it’s important to understand what you’ll be looking at where each of the above categories is concerned. Based on the data provided by several different federal agencies and non-federal economic research studies, here is an in-depth look at each of the San Diego cost of living categories listed above:
- Food and groceries – roughly 15% of San Diegan’s household budgets are spent on these items (the national average is 12.9%). Families spend anywhere from $350 to $500 every month. The average spent on cooking at home is roughly $15 per day; the average 3-course dinner at a restaurant will cost around $50. San Diego COL index 109.7.
- Healthcare – when calculating the healthcare index, the costs of visiting the doctor and the dentist along with the average daily rate for hospital rooms are the primary factors considered. Taking those factors into consideration, San Diego’s healthcare costs are 64% than the US average. San Diego COL index 164.0
- Housing – the median cost of a home in the US is $231,200 while the median home cost in California is $552,800. San Diego’s median home cost is $645,300. Where average rent is concerned, the national average is $1,463 per month whereas in San Diego, the cost of the average rent is $2,238. San Diego COL index 279.1
- Transportation – public transit costs between $75 and $165; driving your own vehicle will cost you between $150 and $400 depending on how much you commute. San Diego COL index 120.2
- Utilities – taking electric, natural gas, and other fuels usage into consideration, the overall cost of monthly utilities is similar to the national average. For example, the average cost of utilities is $200 per month for a 1,000 sq. ft. apartment. San Diego COL index 102.8
And there you have it – everything you need to know about the San Diego cost of living. However, if you are looking for more information about moving here, we have years of experience in helping businesses and residents move from anywhere in the U.S and abroad.
Our teams of movers are quick, efficient and licensed to offer you a full-service move. Though if you are looking for partial moving assistance, we’d be glad to provide with customized services as needed. For more information about moving to San Diego, call Eckert’s Moving and Storage at (888) 274-7230 today. Our business representatives are available for your assistance.