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

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,516/mo in Pasadena, TX versus $3,974/mo in San Diego, CA. In the model, rent is about 17.5% of gross in Pasadena, TX versus 32.4% in San Diego, CA, so Pasadena, TX tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Pasadena, TX
$4,516/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in San Diego, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Pasadena, TX
17.5%
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, TX and San Diego, CA.

At a glance

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

Cost of Living Index

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

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

Median Rent

Pasadena, TX: $1,141/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Diego, CA: $2,112/mo

Median rent in San Diego, CA is $971/mo higher than in Pasadena, TX.

Median Home Price

Pasadena, TX: $193,600 · San Diego, CA: $848,500

Median home price in San Diego, CA is $654,900 higher than in Pasadena, TX.

Median Household Income

Pasadena, TX: $64,270 · San Diego, CA: $104,321

San Diego, CA has a higher median household income than Pasadena, TX by $40,051.

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