Cost of Living: Pasadena, CA vs San Diego, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Pasadena, CA versus $3,974/mo in San Diego, CA. In the model, rent is about 32.31% of gross in Pasadena, CA versus 32.4% in San Diego, CA, so Pasadena, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Pasadena, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Take-home in San Diego, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Pasadena, CA
32.31%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in San Diego, CA
32.4%
COLI tier: very high-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Pasadena, CA and San Diego, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Pasadena, CA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Pasadena, CA
  • Lower home prices: San Diego, CA
  • Higher median household income: San Diego, CA

Cost of Living Index

Pasadena, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · San Diego, CA: 142.3 (U.S. = 100)

Pasadena, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Diego, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Pasadena, CA: $2,107/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Diego, CA: $2,112/mo

Median rent in San Diego, CA is $5/mo higher than in Pasadena, CA.

Median Home Price

Pasadena, CA: $1,045,000 · San Diego, CA: $848,500

Median home price in Pasadena, CA is $196,500 higher than in San Diego, CA.

Median Household Income

Pasadena, CA: $103,778 · San Diego, CA: $104,321

San Diego, CA has a higher median household income than Pasadena, CA by $543.

Pasadena, CA overview · San Diego, CA overview · Popular comparisons