Moving from Phoenix to San Diego
Your paycheck buys 12.2% less in San Diego than in Phoenix; you'd need about $105,600 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in San Diego: $105,600
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $105,600 in San Diego, CA to match $90,000 in Phoenix, AZ ($15,600 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Arizona and California state income tax; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Phoenix vs San Diego: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,819 → $2,336/mo
- Median home value
- $470,600 → $914,700
- Median household income
- $90,133 → $109,132
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 103.3 → 111.9
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (99.3 → 99.7 of 100)
Phoenix vs San Diego cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Phoenix, AZ | San Diego, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 103.3 | 111.9 |
| Median rent | $1,819 | $2,336 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $72,760 | $93,440 |
| Median home value | $470,600 | $914,700 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,748 | $5,462 |
| Income needed to buy | $117,776 | $234,098 |
| Median property tax | $1,883 | $5,948 |
| State income tax on $90,000 | $1,848 | $4,125 |
| Metro population | 5,186,958 | 3,298,799 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Phoenix vs San Diego
On a $90,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $53,459 a year in Phoenix and $64,154 in San Diego if you rent: $10,695 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $64,608 and $101,669 ($37,061 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | PhoenixBefore | San DiegoAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $90,000, single filer | $19,703 | $23,150 | +$3,447 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,923 | $1,930 | +$7 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,344 | $1,225 | -$119 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,277 | $2,977 | +$700 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,384 | $6,840 | +$456 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $21,828 | $28,032 | +$6,204 |
| Total if you rent | $53,459 | $64,154 | +$10,695 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $29,905 | $58,126 | +$28,221 |
| Property tax median home | $1,883 | $5,948 | +$4,065 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,189 | $1,473 | +$284 |
| Total if you buy | $64,608 | $101,669 | +$37,061 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $15,964 a year in Phoenix and $22,628 in San Diego (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Phoenix to San Diego
About 1,802 households (2,787 people) moved from the Phoenix metro area to the San Diego metro area in 2022–2023, making San Diego the #8 destination for people leaving Phoenix among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,671 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $78,296.
Cost to move from Phoenix to San Diego
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $390–$1,050 |
| Moving container | $1,180–$2,360 |
| Full-service movers | $1,960–$5,820 |
Shipping a car instead of driving
Car shipping: $640–$970
Shipping a sedan from Phoenix to San Diego on an open carrier costs about $640–$970, typically 1–4 days in transit over about 350 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Natural hazard risk: Phoenix vs San Diego
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Phoenix area among the highest (score 99.3) and the San Diego area among the highest (score 99.7), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $482 vs $467 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is San Diego cheaper than Phoenix?
Overall prices in the San Diego area are 8.3% higher than in Phoenix (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,336 vs $1,819 a month, and the median home is $914,700 vs $470,600.
What salary do I need in San Diego to match $100,000 in Phoenix?
About $117,900, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Arizona and California state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Phoenix to San Diego?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 350 miles: roughly $390–$1,050 with a rental truck, $1,180–$2,360 with a container, or $1,960–$5,820 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Phoenix to San Diego?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,802 households (2,787 people) moved from the Phoenix metro area to the San Diego metro area, and 2,671 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Phoenix move
- Phoenix to Tucson 3,473 households
- Phoenix to Los Angeles 3,264 households
- Phoenix to Prescott 2,432 households
- Phoenix to Seattle 2,250 households
- Phoenix to Dallas 2,225 households
- Phoenix to Chicago 2,054 households
- Phoenix to Denver 1,862 households
- Phoenix to Riverside 1,498 households