Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in San Diego, CA: $4,077 a month against $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

197

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA Living Index
215

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

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San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,077

/mo nomad

San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,419

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Diego, CA and in San Mateo, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in San Diego, CA and in San Mateo, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,077 per month in San Diego, CA vs $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $4,077
San Mateo, CA $4,419

A couple spends around $6,059 per month in San Diego, CA vs $6,644 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $6,059
San Mateo, CA $6,644

A family of three spends $8,041 per month in San Diego, CA vs $8,868 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $8,041
San Mateo, CA $8,868

San Diego, CA is about 8% cheaper than San Mateo, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in utilities.

Both San Diego, CA and San Mateo, CA sit above the global median – San Diego, CA by 202%, San Mateo, CA by 227%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.72 $24.72

$19.81 $19.81

24.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 $97.7

$98.2 $98.2

-0.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.25 $13.25

$12.87 $12.87

2.95%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.54 $5.54

7.58%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.08 $3.08

1.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.81 $2.81

-6.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.31 $8.31

-2.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$9.86 $9.86

12.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.61 $1.61

-14.91%

White Bread (500g)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.96 $5.96

-6.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.98 $5.98

-21.40%

Eggs

$6.77 $6.77

$7.19 $7.19

-5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$13.35 $13.35

28.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$19.03 $19.03

-24.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$19.87 $19.87

4.28%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$6.06 $6.06

-23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.13 $2.13

-12.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$3.90 $3.90

10.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$8.86 $8.86

-42.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$4.34 $4.34

-28.34%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.04 $3.04

-11.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$3.06 $3.06

-30.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.97 $1.97

2.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$11.94 $11.94

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 $16.72

$14.53 $14.53

15.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.69 $1.69

27.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$1.93 $1.93

65.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.99 $3.99

-38.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 $73.4

$97.1 $97.1

-24.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$4.05 $4.05

-26.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$2.03 $2.03

2.96%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.38 $28.38

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.56 $1.56

-0.64%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$36.8K $36.8K

0.45%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

-1.43%

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

$256 $256

$267 $267

-3.97%

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

$73.9 $73.9

$41.54 $41.54

77.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 $84.4

$62.4 $62.4

35.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 $72.9

$109 $109

-33.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 $24.09

$9.40 $9.40

156.28%

Cinema Ticket

$20.21 $20.21

$18.35 $18.35

10.14%

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

$1,968 $1,968

$2,947 $2,947

-33.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$28.8K $28.8K

24.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$63.6 $63.6

7.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 $54.7

$47.52 $47.52

15.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$117 $117

-2.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$135 $135

8.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,210 $3,210

$3,421 $3,421

-6.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 $2,410

$2,741 $2,741

-12.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,499 $5,499

$5,944 $5,944

-7.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,336 $4,336

$5,128 $5,128

-15.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,110 $8,110

$13.8K $13.8K

-41.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,682 $6,682

$8,907 $8,907

-24.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,975 $4,975

$7,501 $7,501

-33.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.53

2.60%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Diego, CA

$2.4K 59.1%

San Mateo, CA

$2.7K 62% 13.7% $331

Groceries & Markets

San Diego, CA

$475 11.7%

San Mateo, CA

$523 11.8% 9.9% $47

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Diego, CA

$414 10.2%

San Mateo, CA

$371 8.4% 10.6% $44

Eating Out

San Diego, CA

$395 9.7%

San Mateo, CA

$348 7.9% 11.8% $46

Clothing & Footwear

San Diego, CA

$172 4.2%

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.7% 5.4% $9.3

Sport & Entertainment

San Diego, CA

$113 2.8%

San Mateo, CA

$146 3.3% 28.6% $32

Getting Around

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4%

San Mateo, CA

$127 2.9% 31.5% $31

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,210 in San Diego, CA versus $3,421 in San Mateo, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 51% higher in San Mateo, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in San Diego, CA versus $98.0 in San Mateo, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $475 vs $523 – making San Diego, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🕒 Local time

16:27 4:27 PM

Same time as San Diego, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,386,932

103,536

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

San Diego, CA San Mateo, CA 710 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

San Diego, CA
San Mateo, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,077 in San Diego, CA, $4,419 in San Mateo, CA – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in utilities.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,116 per month in San Diego, CA and $6,628 in San Mateo, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Diego, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,968 per month in San Diego, CA and $2,947 in San Mateo, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 10% more in San Mateo, CA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$5,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,077 in San Diego, CA and $4,419 in San Mateo, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. San Diego, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $4,077 in San Diego, CA to $4,419 in San Mateo, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with San Diego, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, San Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.