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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,457 in Salem, MA versus $3,998 in San Diego, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,733 in Salem, MA versus $5,850 in San Diego, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,008 in Salem, MA versus $7,703 in San Diego, CA.

Living in Salem, MA costs roughly 14% less than in San Diego, CA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Salem, MA 158% above, San Diego, CA 198% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$23.34 $23.34

8.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.4 $98.4

$102 $102

-3.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 $10.92

$14.94 $14.94

-26.91%

Cappuccino

$5.15 $5.15

$5.98 $5.98

-13.88%

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

$2.55 $2.55

$3.05 $3.05

-16.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.49 $2.49

-14.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$8.21 $8.21

-4.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.16 $7.16

$9.12 $9.12

-21.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.25 $1.25

1.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.44 $4.44

$4.35 $4.35

2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.81 $8.81

$4.35 $4.35

102.53%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$5.23 $5.23

-16.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.71 $13.71

3.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.12 $14.12

$12.91 $12.91

9.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.71 $8.71

$18.80 $18.80

-53.67%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.75 $4.75

-1.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.73 $1.73

-26.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$4.04 $4.04

-17.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.58 $4.58

$4.72 $4.72

-2.97%

Potato (1kg)

$4.29 $4.29

$3.08 $3.08

39.29%

Onion (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$2.48 $2.48

-5.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.19 $2.19

14.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.52 $3.52

$2.47 $2.47

42.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.84 $9.84

$12.11 $12.11

-18.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.96 $12.96

$15.16 $15.16

-14.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.78 $1.78

-0.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.83 $6.83

$2.44 $2.44

179.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.56 $2.56

-5.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$73.3 $73.3

-25.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.94 $2.94

18.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.59 $1.59

$2.03 $2.03

-21.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$27.44 $27.44

8.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.03 $1.03

$1.30 $1.30

-20.77%

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

$29.0K $29.0K

$31.2K $31.2K

-6.85%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.7K $26.7K

-3.65%

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

$168 $168

$274 $274

-38.66%

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

$88.5 $88.5

$68.6 $68.6

28.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$82.6 $82.6

$79.0 $79.0

4.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.84 $41.84

$68.8 $68.8

-39.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.18 $25.18

Cinema Ticket

$14.92 $14.92

$15.78 $15.78

-5.45%

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

$1,277 $1,277

$1,608 $1,608

-20.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.7K $23.7K

$28.3K $28.3K

-16.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$72.1 $72.1

$57.9 $57.9

24.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.9 $56.9

$57.5 $57.5

-0.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.0 $96.0

$101 $101

-4.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$102 $102

$114 $114

-11.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,386 $2,386

$2,765 $2,765

-13.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,945 $1,945

$2,369 $2,369

-17.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,694 $3,694

$5,023 $5,023

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,874 $2,874

$4,070 $4,070

-29.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,712 $2,712

$8,572 $8,572

-68.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,370 $2,370

$6,933 $6,933

-65.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,495 $9,495

$5,236 $5,236

81.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

6.39

1.88%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: April 20, 2026

Last update for San Diego, CA: April 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,386 in Salem, MA and $2,765 in San Diego, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Salem, MA pays 81% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $98 in Salem, MA vs $102 in San Diego, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $435 vs $427, with San Diego, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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 16% 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.

Salem, MA pays 81% more on average, 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: $2,386 in Salem, MA versus $2,765 in San Diego, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,277 in Salem, MA versus $1,608 in San Diego, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in San Diego, CA pay roughly 2% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

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 work as nomad bases, but Salem, MA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,457 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Salem, MA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Salem, MA 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 Salem, MA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in San Diego, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.