Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and San Diego, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Salem, MA: $3,554 a month against $3,973 in San Diego, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

171

Cost of Living Index in Salem, MA
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Salem, MA Living Index
192

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

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Salem, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,554

/mo nomad

San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,973

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA and in San Diego, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,554 in Salem, MA versus $3,973 in San Diego, CA.

Salem, MA $3,554
San Diego, CA $3,973

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,918 in Salem, MA versus $6,053 in San Diego, CA.

Salem, MA $4,918
San Diego, CA $6,053

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,282 in Salem, MA versus $8,133 in San Diego, CA.

Salem, MA $6,282
San Diego, CA $8,133

Living in Salem, MA costs roughly 11% less than in San Diego, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 161% above, San Diego, CA 192% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$27.35 $27.35

-7.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.2 $99.2

1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$14.82 $14.82

-26.52%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$5.96 $5.96

-16.95%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$3.23 $3.23

-23.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.66 $2.66

-19.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$7.77 $7.77

1.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$10.04 $10.04

-30.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.27 $1.27

-0.79%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$5.45 $5.45

-33.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.93 $4.93

-10.14%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$6.67 $6.67

-33.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$17.13 $17.13

-26.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$14.29 $14.29

-20.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$21.91 $21.91

-22.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.70 $4.70

0.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.79 $1.79

-11.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.77 $4.77

-7.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.99 $4.99

-6.21%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.51 $3.51

-20.51%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.81 $2.81

4.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.13 $2.13

17.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.13 $2.13

3.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 $9.56

$11.90 $11.90

-19.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$15.70 $15.70

-2.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.25 $2.25

-1.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.22 $3.22

4.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.44 $2.44

-8.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$73.3 $73.3

-18.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$2.95 $2.95

17.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.12 $2.12

-16.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 $26.75

$27.44 $27.44

-2.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.56 $1.56

-43.59%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$29.8K $29.8K

-17.82%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$26.4K $26.4K

-13.35%

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

$193 $193

$251 $251

-23.17%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$70.0 $70.0

-16.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$82.6 $82.6

-20.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$61.3 $61.3

-30.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.94 $22.94

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$19.71 $19.71

-25.01%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$1,888 $1,888

-24.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K $21.9K

$35.6K $35.6K

-38.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 $85.3

$64.9 $64.9

31.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$56.4 $56.4

1.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$116 $116

-15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 $98.3

$142 $142

-30.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$3,324 $3,324

-29.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$2,304 $2,304

-6.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$5,433 $5,433

-27.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$4,405 $4,405

-29.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,802 $2,802

$8,002 $8,002

-64.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 $2,303

$6,558 $6,558

-64.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,667 $9,667

$5,165 $5,165

87.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.75

-2.67%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: October 26, 2026

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Salem, MA

$2.2K 60.9%

San Diego, CA

$2.3K 58% 6.5% $140

Groceries & Markets

Salem, MA

$402 11.3%

San Diego, CA

$480 12.1% 19.2% $77

Eating Out

Salem, MA

$366 10.3%

San Diego, CA

$417 10.5% 14.1% $52

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, MA

$317 8.9%

San Diego, CA

$404 10.2% 27.4% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, MA

$152 4.3%

San Diego, CA

$171 4.3% 12.1% $18

Getting Around

Salem, MA

$81 2.3%

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4% 19.3% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, MA

$72 2%

San Diego, CA

$101 2.5% 39.9% $29

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,353 in Salem, MA and $3,324 in San Diego, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 87% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Salem, MA vs $99 in San Diego, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $402 vs $480, with Salem, MA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, MA

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🕒 Local time

02:25 2:25 AM

23:25 11:25 PM

3 h behind Salem, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

1,386,932

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Salem, MA San Diego, CA 4,160 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem, MA
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

Salem, MA vs San Diego, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Salem, MA wins on cost – living expenses run 11% lower than in San Diego, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you’ll feel the difference most, making Salem, MA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 87% higher in Salem, MA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,353 in Salem, MA versus $3,324 in San Diego, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,423 in Salem, MA versus $1,888 in San Diego, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

A monthly transit pass in Salem, MA runs roughly 19% less than in San Diego, CA. The price difference matters if you commute daily and watch your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Salem, MA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Salem, MA and San Diego, CA are both considered safe, so it’s unlikely to be the deciding factor between them.