San Diego vs Washington, D.C. Cost of Living
San Diego (United States) · Overall index 80.0 — Washington, D.C. (United States) · Overall index 80.0
Summary
- Overall, Washington, D.C. is 0% more expensive than San Diego.
- Dining out in Washington, D.C. is 7% more expensive than in San Diego.
- Rent in Washington, D.C. is 6% cheaper than in San Diego.
| Item | San Diego | Washington, D.C. | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | -6% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,906 | $2,331 | -20% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,560 | $1,599 | +3% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $5,348 | $5,225 | -2% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $3,541 | $3,423 | -3% |
| Groceries | 0% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $1.29 | $1.39 | +8% |
| White bread (500g) | $3.77 | $3.7 | -2% |
| Rice (1kg) | $4.26 | $4.74 | +11% |
| Eggs (12) | $4.41 | $5.18 | +17% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $14.8 | $12 | -19% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $12.7 | $11.3 | -11% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $19.1 | $19.7 | +3% |
| Apples (1kg) | $5.14 | $5.27 | +3% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.82 | $2.21 | +21% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.98 | $4.62 | +16% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $5.15 | $5.84 | +13% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $3.07 | $2.67 | -13% |
| Onions (1kg) | $2.92 | $2.47 | -15% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $2.36 | $2.27 | -4% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $2.61 | $2.35 | -10% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $15.1 | $14.6 | -3% |
| Transport | +1% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $2.68 | $2.22 | -17% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $122 | $110 | -10% |
| Taxi, base fare | $3.68 | $4.03 | +10% |
| Taxi, per km | $1.86 | $1.88 | +1% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.87 | $0.98 | +13% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $26,442 | $28,701 | +9% |
| Dining out | +7% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $22.6 | $20.2 | -11% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $107 | $119 | +11% |
| Fast food combo meal | $11.9 | $12.2 | +3% |
| Cappuccino | $5.18 | $5.03 | -3% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $2.16 | $2.52 | +17% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $5.99 | $6.73 | +12% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $7.37 | $8.64 | +17% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.87 | $2.16 | +16% |
| Telecom | +4% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $63.4 | $55.6 | -12% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $55.3 | $61.4 | +11% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.31 | $0.34 | +10% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $13.3 | $14.5 | +9% |
| Utilities & household | -1% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $153 | $162 | +6% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.2 | $0.2 | 0% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $4.02 | $4.19 | +4% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $1.46 | $1.43 | -2% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $20.8 | $21.6 | +4% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $79.6 | $79.5 | 0% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $15.3 | $14.6 | -5% |
| Men's haircut | $27.1 | $28.3 | +4% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $26.6 | $23.4 | -12% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $2,070 | $1,887 | -9% |
2,954 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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