Phoenix vs San Diego Cost of Living
Phoenix (United States) · Overall index 64.4 — San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, San Diego is 24% more expensive than Phoenix.
- Rent in San Diego is 67% more expensive than in Phoenix.
- Transport in San Diego is 23% more expensive than in Phoenix.
| Item | Phoenix | San Diego | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +67% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,761 | $2,906 | +65% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $978 | $1,560 | +60% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $3,011 | $5,348 | +78% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $2,132 | $3,541 | +66% |
| Groceries | +14% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.14 | $1.29 | +13% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.47 | $3.77 | +9% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.04 | $4.26 | +5% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.3 | $4.41 | +3% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $11.2 | $14.8 | +32% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $10.5 | $12.7 | +21% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $16.2 | $19.1 | +18% |
| Apples (1kg) | $4.5 | $5.14 | +14% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.59 | $1.82 | +14% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $4.24 | $3.98 | -6% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $4.34 | $5.15 | +19% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $2.37 | $3.07 | +30% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.65 | $2.92 | +10% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.17 | $2.36 | +9% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.25 | $2.61 | +16% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $11.6 | $15.1 | +30% |
| Transport | +23% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.17 | $2.68 | +24% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $94.7 | $122 | +29% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.23 | $3.68 | +14% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.43 | $1.86 | +30% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.77 | $0.87 | +13% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $19,657 | $26,442 | +35% |
| Dining out | +11% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $17.7 | $22.6 | +28% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $94.4 | $107 | +13% |
| Fast food combo meal | $10.6 | $11.9 | +12% |
| Cappuccino | $4.38 | $5.18 | +18% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.32 | $2.16 | -7% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $6.11 | $5.99 | -2% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $6.98 | $7.37 | +6% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.54 | $1.87 | +21% |
| Telecom | +12% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $47.9 | $63.4 | +32% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $53.6 | $55.3 | +3% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.3 | $0.31 | +3% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $11.9 | $13.3 | +12% |
| Utilities & household | +14% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $139 | $153 | +10% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.2 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $3.57 | $4.02 | +13% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.11 | $1.46 | +32% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $19.6 | $20.8 | +6% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $75.5 | $79.6 | +5% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $12 | $15.3 | +28% |
| Men's haircut | $24.7 | $27.1 | +10% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $21.1 | $26.6 | +26% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,769 | $2,070 | +17% |
3,066 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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