Uprootmap

Austin, TXSan Diego, CA

Moving to San Diego costs you $1,582 a month

−$18,984 a year for the same registered nurse, the same household size, and the same number of bedrooms.

In 2022-2023, 554 households moved AustinSan Diego (avg AGI $126,045). 868 went the other way. The whole move →

Monthly and annual budget comparison between Austin, TX and San Diego, CA
Per monthAustinSan DiegoDifference
Gross pay$8,125$8,516+$391
Income and payroll tax$1,710$2,287+$577
Take-home pay$6,415$6,229−$186
Rent$1,226$2,291+$1,065
Getting around$566$650+$84
Groceries$400$468+$68
Healthcare$450$527+$77
Utilities$250$293+$43
Everything else$350$410+$60
Left over$3,173$1,591−$1,582

To break even in San Diego, you'd need to earn

$134,000

Household gross, versus $97,500 today. That's the salary that leaves you exactly as much at the end of the month as Austin does now.

The tax difference alone

−$5,531

A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 21.0% in Austin, 26.9% in San Diego.

More about San Diego

Austin, TX in full

No income tax, but property taxes are among the steepest anywhere.

San Diego, CA in full

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

The reverse move

Same two cities, but starting from San Diego on San Diego wages.

San DiegoAustin

Rent is Zillow's asking rent for each metro; taxes and living costs are modelled. An estimate, not a quote or tax advice. How this is calculated.