Denver vs San Diego Cost of Living
Denver (United States) · Overall index 73.1 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 9% more expensive than Denver.
- Rent in San Diego is 27% more expensive than in Denver.
- Transport in San Diego is 16% more expensive than in Denver.
| Item | Denver | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +27% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,248 | $2,906 | +29% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,456 | $1,560 | +7% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,827 | $5,348 | +40% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,693 | $3,541 | +31% |
| Groceries | +4% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.33 | $1.29 | -3% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.19 | $3.77 | +18% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.95 | $4.26 | -14% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.77 | $4.41 | -8% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $13.4 | $14.8 | +10% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $12.1 | $12.7 | +5% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $17.4 | $19.1 | +10% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.16 | $5.14 | 0% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.93 | $1.82 | -6% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.97 | $3.98 | 0% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.33 | $5.15 | -3% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.73 | $3.07 | +12% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.77 | $2.92 | +5% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.21 | $2.36 | +7% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.24 | $2.61 | +17% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $13.3 | $15.1 | +14% |
| Transport | +16% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.38 | $2.68 | +13% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $92.3 | $122 | +32% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.37 | $3.68 | +9% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.57 | $1.86 | +18% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.77 | $0.87 | +13% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $23,266 | $26,442 | +14% |
| Dining out | +6% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $19.5 | $22.6 | +16% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $103 | $107 | +4% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.2 | $11.9 | +17% |
| Cappuccino | $4.48 | $5.18 | +16% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.53 | $2.16 | -15% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.79 | $5.99 | +3% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.93 | $7.37 | +6% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.89 | $1.87 | -1% |
| Telecom | -1% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $52.7 | $63.4 | +20% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $61.6 | $55.3 | -10% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.32 | $0.31 | -3% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $14.3 | $13.3 | -7% |
| Utilities & household | +2% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $168 | $153 | -9% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.21 | $0.2 | -5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.61 | $4.02 | -13% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.31 | $1.46 | +11% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $22.8 | $20.8 | -9% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $75.8 | $79.6 | +5% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $12.5 | $15.3 | +22% |
| Men's haircut | $27.7 | $27.1 | -2% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $21.4 | $26.6 | +24% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $2,104 | $2,070 | -2% |
3,274 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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