Median rent is 20% lower in Plano ($1,841/mo vs $2,313/mo). Buying is cheaper in Plano, where the median home runs $465,900 versus $906,700. Households earn more in Plano ($112,253 vs $108,077 a year).
City A
Plano, TX
City B
San Diego, CA
How much would you need to earn in San Diego, CA to maintain your standard of living from Plano, TX?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Plano
Texas
San Diego
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Plano at $1,841/mo compared to $2,313/mo in San Diego (20% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in San Diego: the median home is $906,700 versus $465,900 in Plano — 49% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Plano
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
San Diego
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Plano has cleaner air on average: 55.0 AQI (Moderate) compared to 59.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Plano if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,841/mo median).
Is Plano cheaper than San Diego?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Plano vs San Diego?
Median rent is $1,841/mo in Plano, TX and $2,313/mo in San Diego, CA. Plano, TX has the lower rent by about 20%.
Which has higher salaries — Plano or San Diego?
Median household income is $112,253 in Plano, TX and $108,077 in San Diego, CA. Plano, TX has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Plano, TX has better air quality on average: 55.0 AQI versus 59.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Plano or San Diego?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in San Diego to match my Plano income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
