Philadelphia vs San Diego Cost of Living
Philadelphia (United States) · Overall index 69.8 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 15% more expensive than Philadelphia.
- Rent in San Diego is 48% more expensive than in Philadelphia.
- Transport in San Diego is 18% more expensive than in Philadelphia.
| Item | Philadelphia | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +48% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,792 | $2,906 | +62% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,341 | $1,560 | +16% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,174 | $5,348 | +68% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,384 | $3,541 | +49% |
| Groceries | +6% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.29 | $1.29 | 0% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.87 | $3.77 | -3% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.06 | $4.26 | +5% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.69 | $4.41 | -6% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.8 | $14.8 | +25% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.1 | $12.7 | +26% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $18.6 | $19.1 | +3% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.15 | $5.14 | 0% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.93 | $1.82 | -6% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.39 | $3.98 | -9% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.45 | $5.15 | +16% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.56 | $3.07 | +20% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.4 | $2.92 | +22% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.53 | $2.36 | -7% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.2 | $2.61 | +19% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $14.5 | $15.1 | +4% |
| Transport | +18% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.99 | $2.68 | +35% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $96 | $122 | +27% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.28 | $3.68 | +12% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.42 | $1.86 | +31% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.86 | $0.87 | +1% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $24,387 | $26,442 | +8% |
| Dining out | +5% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $20.9 | $22.6 | +8% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $110 | $107 | -3% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.1 | $11.9 | +18% |
| Cappuccino | $4.76 | $5.18 | +9% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.19 | $2.16 | -1% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.57 | $5.99 | -9% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.12 | $7.37 | +4% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.65 | $1.87 | +13% |
| Telecom | +2% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $51.4 | $63.4 | +23% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $64.6 | $55.3 | -14% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.31 | $0.31 | 0% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.1 | $13.3 | +2% |
| Utilities & household | +6% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $147 | $153 | +4% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.19 | $0.2 | +5% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.65 | $4.02 | -14% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.27 | $1.46 | +15% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $18.1 | $20.8 | +15% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $71 | $79.6 | +12% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $14.4 | $15.3 | +6% |
| Men's haircut | $28.5 | $27.1 | -5% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $23.9 | $26.6 | +11% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,805 | $2,070 | +15% |
3,065 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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