Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Cedar City, UT Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Cedar City, UT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,101 in San Diego, CA versus $2,308 in Cedar City, UT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,179 in San Diego, CA versus $3,577 in Cedar City, UT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,258 in San Diego, CA versus $4,845 in Cedar City, UT.

Living in San Diego, CA is roughly 78% more expensive than in Cedar City, UT, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Diego, CA 198% above, Cedar City, UT 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.27 $30.27

$23.78 $23.78

27.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.1 $80.1

26.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.85 $14.85

0.13%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$6.47 $6.47

-3.86%

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

$3.33 $3.33

$4.61 $4.61

-27.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$5.96 $5.96

37.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$12.23 $12.23

$11.07 $11.07

10.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.14 $1.14

19.30%

White Bread (500g)

$5.40 $5.40

$3.51 $3.51

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.90 $4.90

$4.36 $4.36

12.39%

Eggs

$7.01 $7.01

$3.76 $3.76

86.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.52 $17.52

$18.41 $18.41

-4.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.12 $13.12

$15.96 $15.96

-17.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.17 $20.17

$18.48 $18.48

9.15%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$8.21 $8.21

-43.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 $1.83

$2.31 $2.31

-20.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$7.75 $7.75

-44.52%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.66 $3.66

38.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$1.75 $1.75

86.86%

Onion (1kg)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.34 $2.34

16.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.07 $2.07

$2.22 $2.22

-6.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.34 $2.34

-8.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.75 $11.75

$12.91 $12.91

-8.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.57 $16.57

$22.16 $22.16

-25.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.21 $2.21

$1.91 $1.91

15.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$4.86 $4.86

-35.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 $2.46

$4.91 $4.91

-49.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 $73.3

$39.67 $39.67

84.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.97 $2.97

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.84 $27.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$0.88 $0.88

69.32%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$37.7K $37.7K

-2.62%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$24.7K $24.7K

2.70%

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

$252 $252

$170 $170

48.18%

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

$73.8 $73.8

$32.88 $32.88

124.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.9 $85.9

$57.2 $57.2

50.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.0 $69.0

$54.6 $54.6

26.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.99 $22.99

Cinema Ticket

$19.62 $19.62

$11.71 $11.71

67.55%

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

$1,924 $1,924

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K $36.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.1 $69.1

$57.2 $57.2

20.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.4 $57.4

$49.81 $49.81

15.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$101 $101

14.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$147 $147

$153 $153

-3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,282 $3,282

$1,040 $1,040

215.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 $2,410

$869 $869

177.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,352 $5,352

$1,918 $1,918

179.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,382 $4,382

$1,608 $1,608

172.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,237 $8,237

$2,684 $2,684

206.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,501 $6,501

$2,651 $2,651

145.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,072 $5,072

$3,510 $3,510

44.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.67

-2.25%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: August 29, 2026

Last update for Cedar City, UT: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,282 in San Diego, CA and $1,040 in Cedar City, UT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Diego, CA pays 45% 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: $101 in San Diego, CA vs $80.0 in Cedar City, UT. Groceries flip the comparison at $471 vs $484, 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

San Diego, CA vs Cedar City, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cedar City, UT is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 78% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 45% higher in San Diego, CA, 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: $3,282 in San Diego, CA versus $1,040 in Cedar City, UT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cedar City, UT – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $101 in San Diego, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cedar City, UT runs roughly 85% less than in San Diego, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,308 in Cedar City, UT versus $4,101 in San Diego, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cedar City, UT but tight or insufficient in San Diego, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Cedar City, UT the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cedar City, UT 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, San Diego, CA and Cedar City, UT 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 Cedar City, UT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in San Diego, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.