Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Fairfield, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Fairfield, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,110 in San Diego, CA versus $3,957 in Fairfield, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,094 in San Diego, CA versus $5,296 in Fairfield, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,078 in San Diego, CA versus $6,635 in Fairfield, CA.

Living in San Diego, CA is roughly 4% more expensive than in Fairfield, CA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Diego, CA 200% above, Fairfield, CA 189% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.85 $24.85

$22.40 $22.40

10.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.0 $97.0

$96.7 $96.7

0.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.46 $13.46

$11.96 $11.96

12.54%

Cappuccino

$6.00 $6.00

$6.46 $6.46

-7.12%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.37 $3.37

-8.61%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.97 $1.97

33.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.80 $7.80

$7.94 $7.94

-1.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.06 $11.06

$7.08 $7.08

56.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.45 $1.45

-5.52%

White Bread (500g)

$5.69 $5.69

$4.41 $4.41

29.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.74 $4.74

$4.66 $4.66

1.72%

Eggs

$7.01 $7.01

$5.48 $5.48

27.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.10 $17.10

$14.14 $14.14

20.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.39 $13.39

$14.56 $14.56

-8.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.07 $20.07

$17.37 $17.37

15.54%

Apples (1kg)

$4.64 $4.64

$5.82 $5.82

-20.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.90 $1.90

$2.66 $2.66

-28.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$6.16 $6.16

-29.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$6.80 $6.80

-25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$3.25 $3.25

$3.79 $3.79

-14.25%

Onion (1kg)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.69 $3.69

-29.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 $2.17

$2.33 $2.33

-6.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.02 $2.02

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.51 $11.51

$12.06 $12.06

-4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.62 $16.62

$10.14 $10.14

63.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$1.88 $1.88

18.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.04 $2.04

57.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.45 $2.45

$1.94 $1.94

26.29%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.4 $72.4

$88.6 $88.6

-18.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.93 $2.93

5.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.89 $1.89

8.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.01 $28.01

$28.95 $28.95

-3.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.29 $1.29

20.93%

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

$37.6K $37.6K

$34.6K $34.6K

8.67%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.9K $26.9K

-2.65%

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

$255 $255

$190 $190

34.60%

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

$73.9 $73.9

$50.3 $50.3

46.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.2 $84.2

$73.4 $73.4

14.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.0 $72.0

$125 $125

-42.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.48 $24.48

$74.2 $74.2

-66.99%

Cinema Ticket

$19.64 $19.64

$14.72 $14.72

33.42%

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

$1,927 $1,927

$1,294 $1,294

48.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K $36.5K

$19.8K $19.8K

84.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.5 $67.5

$53.5 $53.5

26.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$56.8 $56.8

$41.50 $41.50

36.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$112 $112

$107 $107

4.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$148 $148

$111 $111

33.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,288 $3,288

$2,449 $2,449

34.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,361 $2,361

$2,369 $2,369

-0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,396 $5,396

$3,017 $3,017

78.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,361 $4,361

$2,917 $2,917

49.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,983 $7,983

$3,630 $3,630

119.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,467 $6,467

$3,677 $3,677

75.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,895 $4,895

$4,851 $4,851

0.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.37

6.12

4.08%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: September 12, 2026

Last update for Fairfield, CA: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,288 in San Diego, CA and $2,449 in Fairfield, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Diego, CA pays 1% 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: $97.0 in San Diego, CA vs $97.0 in Fairfield, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $474 vs $456, with Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fairfield, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 4% lower than in San Diego, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fairfield, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 1% 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: $3,288 in San Diego, CA versus $2,449 in Fairfield, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $4,110 per month in San Diego, CA versus $3,957 in Fairfield, CA – a 4% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Fairfield, CA runs roughly 22% less than in San Diego, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Fairfield, CA 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 Fairfield, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,957 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Fairfield, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Diego, CA and Fairfield, 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 Fairfield, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in San Diego, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.