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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,998 in San Diego, CA versus $3,152 in Newark, NJ.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,850 in San Diego, CA versus $4,546 in Newark, NJ.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,703 in San Diego, CA versus $5,940 in Newark, NJ.

Living in San Diego, CA is roughly 27% more expensive than Newark, NJ, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Diego, CA 198% above, Newark, NJ 135% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.34 $23.34

$19.84 $19.84

17.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$89.3 $89.3

13.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.95 $11.95

25.02%

Cappuccino

$5.98 $5.98

$4.87 $4.87

22.79%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.70 $2.70

12.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.02 $2.02

23.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.11 $6.11

34.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.12 $9.12

$6.84 $6.84

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$1.42 $1.42

-11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.35 $4.35

$4.42 $4.42

-1.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.35 $4.35

$8.30 $8.30

-47.59%

Eggs

$5.23 $5.23

$5.82 $5.82

-10.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.71 $13.71

$15.11 $15.11

-9.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.91 $12.91

$16.41 $16.41

-21.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.80 $18.80

$21.27 $21.27

-11.61%

Apples (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$7.72 $7.72

-38.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 $1.73

$2.56 $2.56

-32.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.04 $4.04

$5.75 $5.75

-29.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$6.54 $6.54

-27.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.66 $3.66

-15.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.48 $2.48

$3.91 $3.91

-36.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 $2.19

$2.99 $2.99

-26.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.48 $2.48

-0.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$13.08 $13.08

-7.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.16 $15.16

$19.82 $19.82

-23.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$2.05 $2.05

-13.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.82 $3.82

-36.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.56 $2.56

$6.18 $6.18

-58.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.3 $73.3

$55.8 $55.8

31.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.98 $2.98

-1.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.36 $1.36

49.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.44 $27.44

$21.70 $21.70

26.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 $1.30

$0.87 $0.87

49.43%

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

$31.2K $31.2K

$29.9K $29.9K

4.08%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.66%

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

$274 $274

$269 $269

1.86%

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

$68.6 $68.6

$63.7 $63.7

7.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$79.0 $79.0

$75.4 $75.4

4.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.8 $68.8

$29.43 $29.43

133.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$25.18 $25.18

$17.30 $17.30

45.55%

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 $15.78

$14.86 $14.86

6.19%

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

$1,608 $1,608

$2,095 $2,095

-23.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K $28.3K

$43.5K $43.5K

-35.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 $57.9

$51.7 $51.7

11.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.5 $57.5

$42.09 $42.09

36.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$101 $101

$111 $111

-9.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$114 $114

$172 $172

-33.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,765 $2,765

$2,358 $2,358

17.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,369 $2,369

$1,538 $1,538

54.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,023 $5,023

$3,295 $3,295

52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,070 $4,070

$2,563 $2,563

58.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,572 $8,572

$5,607 $5,607

52.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,933 $6,933

$5,652 $5,652

22.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,236 $5,236

$3,510 $3,510

49.18%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.63

-3.62%

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

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,765 in San Diego, CA and $2,358 in Newark, NJ. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Diego, CA pays 49% 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: $102 in San Diego, CA vs $89 in Newark, NJ. Groceries flip the comparison at $427 vs $534, 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 Newark, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Newark, NJ is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 27% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

San Diego, CA pays 49% 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: $2,765 in San Diego, CA versus $2,358 in Newark, NJ. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Newark, NJ runs roughly 31% less than in San Diego, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,608 in San Diego, CA versus $2,095 in Newark, NJ. 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, San Diego, CA and Newark, NJ 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 27% less than in San Diego, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.