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Chicago · Registered nurse · $98,500 · One adult, renting a 1-bedroom
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Atlanta skyline
JJonahJackalope. CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo source · License
San Diego skyline
Boatguy619. CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo source · License

Atlanta vs San Diego

$903/mo less in San Diego

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical month
Less leftMore left

AtlantaSan DiegoAbout 1,861 miles apart, a flight.

  • San Diego costs you more
  • Rent under 30% of pay
  • 266 sunny days

Same paycheck, two cities. $1,579/mo in San Diego. $2,482/mo in Atlanta. −$10,836 a year.

Atlanta

$2,482

left each month

San Diego

$1,579

−$903 vs Atlanta

Compare

Same paycheck, another city.

San Diego wins 1 of 4Atlanta 3 · ties 0
$5,882Take-home · San Diego$6,218
$1,399Rent · Atlanta$2,292
$2,001Other bills · Atlanta$2,347
$2,482Left over · Atlanta$1,579

Next

In 2022-2023, 467 households moved Atlanta → San Diego (avg AGI $76,285). 470 went the other way. The whole move →

−$903 / mo

Alabama: $2,168 left in a typical monthArizona: $2,126 left in a typical monthArkansas: $2,400 left in a typical monthCalifornia: $1,645 left in a typical monthColorado: $2,458 left in a typical monthConnecticut: $2,294 left in a typical monthDelaware: $1,980 left in a typical monthDistrict of Columbia: $2,913 left in a typical monthFlorida: $2,204 left in a typical monthGeorgia: $1,988 left in a typical monthIdaho: $2,056 left in a typical monthIllinois: $2,569 left in a typical monthIndiana: $2,407 left in a typical monthIowa: $2,838 left in a typical monthKansas: $2,391 left in a typical monthKentucky: $2,312 left in a typical monthLouisiana: $2,486 left in a typical monthMaine: $1,949 left in a typical monthMaryland: $2,359 left in a typical monthMassachusetts: $2,076 left in a typical monthMichigan: $2,360 left in a typical monthMinnesota: $2,600 left in a typical monthMississippi: $2,011 left in a typical monthMissouri: $2,581 left in a typical monthMontana: $2,222 left in a typical monthNebraska: $2,541 left in a typical monthNevada: $2,296 left in a typical monthNew Hampshire: $2,794 left in a typical monthNew Jersey: $1,864 left in a typical monthNew Mexico: $2,037 left in a typical monthNew York: $2,320 left in a typical monthNorth Carolina: $2,194 left in a typical monthNorth Dakota: $3,238 left in a typical monthOhio: $2,583 left in a typical monthOklahoma: $2,455 left in a typical monthOregon: $1,624 left in a typical monthPennsylvania: $2,380 left in a typical monthRhode Island: $2,094 left in a typical monthSouth Carolina: $2,108 left in a typical monthSouth Dakota: $2,780 left in a typical monthTennessee: $2,530 left in a typical monthTexas: $2,620 left in a typical monthUtah: $1,822 left in a typical monthVermont: $2,118 left in a typical monthVirginia: $2,326 left in a typical monthWashington: $2,473 left in a typical monthWest Virginia: $2,277 left in a typical monthWisconsin: $2,642 left in a typical monthWyoming: $2,849 left in a typical monthAtlantaSan Diego
Less leftMore left
San Diego · this breakdownAtlanta · home
See full breakdown
Monthly and annual budget comparison between Atlanta, GA and San Diego, CA
Per monthAtlantaSan DiegoDifference
Gross pay$7,875$8,499+$624
Income and payroll tax$1,993$2,280+$287
Take-home pay$5,882$6,218+$336
Rent$1,399$2,292+$893
Getting around$580$650+$70
Groceries$392$468+$76
Healthcare$441$527+$86
Utilities$245$293+$48
Everything else$343$410+$67
Left over$2,482$1,579−$903

Salary to match Atlanta

$120,000

Gross pay in San Diego that leaves the same amount as $94,500 in Atlanta.

Tax difference

−$1,230

A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 25.3% in Atlanta, 26.8% in San Diego.

More about San Diego

Atlanta, GA in full

Big-city pay at mid-market housing costs, with a 31-minute average commute.

San Diego, CA in full

The best climate in the country and rents that know it.

The other way

Start in San Diego.

San Diego → Atlanta →

Questions

Is the cost of living lower in San Diego than Atlanta?

For one adult in a one-bedroom, San Diego leaves about $903 less a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,399 in Atlanta and $2,292 in San Diego.

Does San Diego have state income tax?

San Diego is in California, which taxes wage income.

What changes if you move from Atlanta to San Diego?

The paycheck is taxed in California. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.

Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Atlanta and San Diego changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.

Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.