San Diego County ranks as the fifth most expensive major urban
center in the United States as reported by ARCCA a Virginia based non-profit
agency that tracks Cost of Living. (Resource: Union Tribune
8/31/04)
The table below shows the cost of living in San Diego using a
"Cost of Living Index". 100 represents the national
average. For example, San Diego's overall cost of living is 138,
which is approximately 38% above the national average.
Key points to note
- Housing is twice the national average and utilities are lower than the
national average. Even though we have the highest cost for natural
gas and the second highest for electricity our utilities, as a county, are lower
than the national average because of our temperate
climate. Transportation is high because of the high cost of
gasoline.
San Diego County Cost of Living
| Category |
Index Level |
| Overall Cost of Living |
138 |
| Housing |
203 |
| Food & Groceries |
122 |
| Transportation |
124 |
| Utilities (electricity & gas) |
88 |
| Health care (Hospital room, office visits) |
126 |
| Miscellaneous (includes clothing) |
109 |
2006 Basic Housing Allowance for San Diego
| Pay Grade |
With Dependents |
Without Dependents |
| E-1 |
$1,494 |
$1,105 |
| E-2 |
$1,494 |
$1,105 |
| E-3 |
$1,494 |
$1,105 |
| E-4 |
$1,494 |
$1,105 |
| E-5 |
$1,648 |
$1,262 |
| E-6 |
$1,900 |
$1,360 |
| E-7 |
$1,955 |
$1,504 |
| E-8 |
$2,015 |
$1,697 |
| E-9 |
$2,109 |
$1,776 |
| O-1E |
$1,967 |
$1,648 |
| O-2E |
$2,042 |
$1,758 |
| O-3E |
$2,145 |
$1,900 |
| O-1 |
$1,677 |
$1,339 |
| O-2 |
$1,894 |
$1,595 |
| O-3 |
$2,050 |
$1,809 |
| O-4 |
$2,259 |
$1,961 |
| O-5 |
$2,406 |
$1,997 |
| O-6 |
$2,426 |
$2,053 |
| O-7 |
$2,454 |
$2,094 |
| W-1 |
$1,901 |
$1,435 |
| W-2 |
$1,980 |
$1,697 |
| W-3 |
$2,053 |
$1,783 |
| W-4 |
$2,131 |
$1,941 |
| W-5 |
$2,221 |
$1,968 |
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