Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and San Diego, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Newark, NJ: $3,069 a month against $4,012 in San Diego, CA, rent and utilities included – about $11,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Newark, NJ
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Newark, NJ Living Index
196

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA Living Index

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Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,012

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newark, NJ and in San Diego, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Newark, NJ and in San Diego, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,069 in Newark, NJ versus $4,012 in San Diego, CA.

Newark, NJ $3,069
San Diego, CA $4,012

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,584 in Newark, NJ versus $6,068 in San Diego, CA.

Newark, NJ $4,584
San Diego, CA $6,068

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,098 in Newark, NJ versus $8,123 in San Diego, CA.

Newark, NJ $6,098
San Diego, CA $8,123

Living in Newark, NJ costs roughly 24% less than in San Diego, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, NJ 127% above, San Diego, CA 196% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$24.72 $24.72

-18.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$101 $101

-2.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 $14.21

$14.63 $14.63

-2.87%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$5.89 $5.89

7.98%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.73 $3.73

$3.11 $3.11

19.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.76 $2.76

-10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$8.10 $8.10

-1.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$10.07 $10.07

-0.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.32 $1.32

3.79%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$5.63 $5.63

-19.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$4.78 $4.78

57.53%

Eggs

$5.90 $5.90

$6.71 $6.71

-12.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$17.10 $17.10

-57.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$13.85 $13.85

24.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$21.43 $21.43

-10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$4.62 $4.62

46.32%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.87 $1.87

22.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.69 $4.69

36.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$4.90 $4.90

36.12%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.34 $3.34

20.36%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$2.89 $2.89

51.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.09 $2.09

32.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.04 $2.04

28.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$11.76 $11.76

0.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 $19.62

$16.25 $16.25

20.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.32 $2.32

-17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.17 $3.17

-13.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.47 $2.47

148.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$73.4 $73.4

-25.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.07 $3.07

-1.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.05 $2.05

5.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.49 $42.49

$27.86 $27.86

52.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.60 $1.60

-35.00%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.3K $27.3K

$29.6K $29.6K

-7.83%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-2.92%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$213 $213

$252 $252

-15.70%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$75.4 $75.4

$70.6 $70.6

6.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$80.8 $80.8

-12.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$69.0 $69.0

-57.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 $17.80

$24.09 $24.09

-26.11%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$20.16 $20.16

-26.98%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,129 $2,129

$1,950 $1,950

9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.3K $61.3K

$36.7K $36.7K

66.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$63.6 $63.6

-4.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$55.9 $55.9

-50.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$113 $113

6.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$144 $144

-4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$3,207 $3,207

-19.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$2,360 $2,360

-34.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$5,381 $5,381

-19.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$4,426 $4,426

-41.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 $5,702

$8,234 $8,234

-30.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,577 $5,577

$6,506 $6,506

-14.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,568 $3,568

$5,039 $5,039

-29.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.75

-1.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50%

San Diego, CA

$2.4K 58.8% 53.7% $825

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4%

San Diego, CA

$477 11.9% 5% $25

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9%

San Diego, CA

$396 9.9% 8.5% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7%

San Diego, CA

$404 10.1% 12.5% $45

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1%

San Diego, CA

$169 4.2% 8.5% $13

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$93 3%

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4% 3.7% $3.5

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9%

San Diego, CA

$109 2.7% 85.4% $50

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Newark, NJ and $3,207 in San Diego, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Diego, CA pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $99.0 in Newark, NJ vs $101 in San Diego, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $502 vs $477, with San Diego, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🕒 Local time

04:10 4:10 AM

01:10 1:10 AM

3 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

1,386,932

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Newark, NJ San Diego, CA 3,890 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Newark, NJ
San Diego, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Newark, NJ vs San Diego, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newark, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in eating out, clothing, and utilities. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in San Diego, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,577 in Newark, NJ versus $3,207 in San Diego, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Newark, NJ runs roughly 34% less than in San Diego, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,129 in Newark, NJ versus $1,950 in San Diego, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Newark, NJ is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Newark, NJ is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Diego, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Newark, NJ and San Diego, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Newark, NJ gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in San Diego, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.