Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in San Diego, California
A $849,000 home here costs
$6,251per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $268,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $4,703. The real number is $1,548 higher every month, 33% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Diego County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
San Diego against San Diego County and California
| Measure | San Diego | San Diego County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $848,500 | $791,600 |
| Median property tax | $5,658 | $5,542 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.667% | 0.700% |
| Median gross rent | $2,223 | $2,154 |
| Population | 1,385,061 | 3,282,782 |
The weather behind that power bill
San Diego sits in San Diego County, which averages a high of 90.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 35.6°F in its coldest, with 14.65" of precipitation a year and 62% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 957 cooling and 2,329 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Diego County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Diego County
Full San Diego County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are San Diego averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works San Diego every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in San Diego I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in San Diego?
A $849,000 home in San Diego, California costs approximately $6,251 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $4,703 principal and interest, $472 property tax, $132 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $708 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in San Diego?
San Diego has an effective property tax rate of 0.667%, based on a median home value of $848,500 and median real estate taxes of $5,658. That is lower than the San Diego County average of 0.700%.
What is the average home price in San Diego?
The median owner-occupied home value in San Diego, California is $848,500, against $791,600 across San Diego County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Diego?
Median gross rent in San Diego is $2,223 a month, against $6,251 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in San Diego?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in San Diego, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $268,000 a year. That covers the full $6,251 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for San Diego, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for California.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.