Moving from San Diego to Phoenix
A typical worker keeps $12,573 more a year in Phoenix than in San Diego, after taxes, rent and everyday costs. To keep the same as a typical San Diego salary of $58,690, you'd need about $35,200 in Phoenix.
What your job keeps in each city
Pick a job to compare local pay, or enter one salary to see what the move alone changes.
A typical worker keeps $12,573 more a year in Phoenix than in San Diego.
- Typical salary
- $58,690
- Federal income tax
- −$4,863
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,253
- State income tax
- −$1,571
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$31,164
- Everyday costs
- −$21,103
a year ($439 a month)
- Typical salary
- $51,380
- Federal income tax
- −$3,986
- Payroll taxes
- −$3,931
- State income tax
- −$1,076
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$17,688
- Everyday costs
- −$17,390
a year, or $609 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS metro estimates. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules, single filer.
Change cities or job: compare any two cities or states at three pay levels.
At a glance
A typical worker in each city: where the money goes, pay, costs and price levels. The tables on this page have every figure.
Cost of living side by side
Monthly costs for one person. Green means the move saves money; red means it costs more.
| San Diego | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (US = 100)7.7% cheaper | 111.9 | 103.3 |
| Rent, studio$1,070 less | $2,437 | $1,367 |
| Rent, 1-bedroom$1,123 less | $2,597 | $1,474 |
| Rent, 2-bedroom$1,424 less | $3,139 | $1,715 |
| Food$64 less | $533 | $469 |
| Transportation$50 less | $421 | $371 |
| Healthcare$15 more | $351 | $366 |
| Utilities$211 less | $454 | $243 |
| Monthly total, 1-bedroom$1,433 less | $4,356 | $2,923 |
Salaries
Median pay for the same job in each metro, and how the move changes what you keep: the typical worker and the 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ area. The calculator above has all 40.
| Job | San Diego | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Typical worker$12,573 more | $58,690 | $51,380 |
| Registered nurse$1,427 less | $139,520 | $100,830 |
| Teacher$4,843 less | $96,805 | $59,704 |
| Electrician$8,691 more | $76,160 | $61,210 |
| Accountant$10,441 more | $96,340 | $80,820 |
| Software engineer$5,638 more | $163,270 | $131,750 |
| Truck driver$18,309 more | $59,780 | $59,770 |
| Nursing assistant$15,589 more | $48,070 | $45,290 |
| Medical assistant$15,803 more | $49,420 | $46,830 |
| Carpenter$9,807 more | $73,200 | $60,320 |
| Project manager$11,364 more | $117,460 | $100,780 |
Taxes
Taxes on the same salary, $58,690 (a typical San Diego wage), in each city. Single filer, 2026.
| San Diego | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Federal income taxNo change | $4,863 | $4,863 |
| Payroll taxes$763 less | $5,253 | $4,490 |
| State income tax$312 less | $1,571 | $1,259 |
| Local income taxNo change | $0 | $0 |
| Total$1,075 less | $11,686 | $10,611 |
Living there
Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
| San Diego | Phoenix | |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income$25,786 less | $111,032 | $85,246 |
| Median home value$525,800 less | $980,700 | $454,900 |
| Unemployment rate1.7 pts lower | 5.8% | 4.1% |
| Working from home1.1 pts lower | 18% | 16.8% |
Moving to Phoenix
People also compare
Questions people ask
Is it cheaper to live in Phoenix than San Diego?
Yes: prices in the Phoenix area are 3% above the US average, against 12% above the US average in the San Diego area (BEA, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,474 a month in Phoenix and $2,597 in San Diego.
How much more is rent in San Diego?
HUD's FY2027 fair market rent for a 1-bedroom is $1,123 a month (76.2%) higher in San Diego: $1,474 in Phoenix against $2,597 in San Diego.
How much do I need to earn in Phoenix to keep the same as in San Diego?
A typical worker in San Diego earns $58,690. To keep the same amount after taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs, you'd need about $35,200 in Phoenix.
Will I pay more tax in Phoenix?
Arizona taxes wages, and California taxes wages. On a typical San Diego salary of $58,690, total income and payroll taxes come to $10,611 in Phoenix and $11,686 in San Diego.
Do people keep more money in Phoenix or San Diego?
A typical worker keeps $12,573 more a year in Phoenix than in San Diego: $7,309 in Phoenix against −$5,264 in San Diego, after taxes, rent and everyday costs.
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate