Phoenix vs San Diego
The short version
- Phoenix is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 8% lower than in the San Diego area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $420,700 in Phoenix and $906,700 in San Diego.
- Households earn more in San Diego ($108,077 vs $81,332 median).
- Phoenix has more scorching days: 173 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 4.
- Phoenix is growing faster: +3.6% since 2020 vs +1.6%.
Side by side
| Phoenix, AZ | San Diego, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 1,665,481 | 1,406,106 |
| Growth since 2020 | +3.6% | +1.6% |
| People per square mile | 3,213 | 4,312 |
| Median age | 34.9 | 36.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 34% | 51% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $81,332 | $108,077 |
| Median home value | $420,700 | $906,700 |
| Home value to income | 5.2× | 8.4× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,582 | $2,313 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 103.3 | 111.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 121.2 | 179.3 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $77,500 | $83,900 |
| Homeowners | 57% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 2.5% | 13.3% |
| Combined sales tax | 8.54% | 9.03% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 25.6 | 23.5 |
| Work from home | 19% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 2% | 3% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5% | 6% |
| Poverty rate | 13.7% | 11% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 68° / 46° | 66° / 49° |
| July high / low | 107° / 85° | 74° / 65° |
| Precipitation per year | 7 in | 9 in |
| Snowfall per year | 0 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 173 | 4 |
| Nights below freezing | 1 | 0 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 12 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Very High | Very High |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 99.9 | 99.7 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 7% | 18% |
| Home prices, past year | +0.8% | +2.5% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +35.8% | +40.8% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Phoenix: November to April. San Diego: January to December.
Full monthly tables: Phoenix weather by month and San Diego weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $77,500 in Phoenix and $83,900 in San Diego. Moving from Phoenix to San Diego, you would need about $81,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Phoenix and San Diego
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Phoenix and San Diego.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.