City comparison

San Diego vs Tampa Cost of Living

Compare overall indexes, housing costs, and budget targets between San Diego (141.4) and Tampa (109.3).

San Diego Index
141.4
Tampa Index
109.3
San Diego Rent
$3,700
Tampa Rent
$2,350
San Diego Home price
$738,000
Tampa Home price
$422,000

Salary equivalent calculator

Enter your current salary in San Diego to estimate the income needed for a similar lifestyle in Tampa.

Equivalent salary in Tampa
$90,439
Based on the relative overall cost of living between San Diego and Tampa.

Category-by-category differences

Use this table to see which categories make one city more or less expensive than the other.

CategorySan DiegoTampaDifference
Housing194127-67.0 (-34.5%)
Groceries122100-22.0 (-18.0%)
Transportation10999-10.0 (-9.2%)
Healthcare11099-11.0 (-10.0%)
Utilities108104-4.0 (-3.7%)
Miscellaneous118100-18.0 (-15.3%)

Budget comparison

Single
$6,650 / $4,930
San Diego / Tampa
Couple
$11,040 / $8,180
San Diego / Tampa
Family
$15,560 / $11,540
San Diego / Tampa

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: Q1 2026

Data as of Q1 2026. Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Cost of living indexes use the national average as baseline (100). Data is updated periodically.