r/Moving2SanDiego

At the bottom of the rankings, we found some familiar names. Salt Lake City and California’s Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario region both returned to the bottom four. Salt Lake has weaker hiring than all but one metro, as well as below-median wages and affordability. Riverside has lower college grad wages than all but one metro, and below-median hiring and affordability.

San Diego-Carlsbad, Calif., and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, which straddles Oregon and Washington, rounded out the bottom four. Both offer relatively strong wages, but with some of the slowest hiring rates in our sample. Affordability, too, lagged. Even graduates who do land jobs in these metros face a tough financial tradeoff in the form of high cost of living.

Hi all,

I’m 23 and considering moving to San Diego. My main priorities are:

- strong social scene with people in their early 20s

- good bars/nightlife (day drinking counts too)

- walkability

Money isn’t a huge concern.

I know SD is more of a driving city, but I really value walkability because it creates a sense of community and makes it easier to meet people naturally.

I’ve heard Pacific Beach is the go-to for younger people, but is it actually walkable to the point where you feel that day-to-day social energy?

If not, are there better areas that fit what I’m looking for? Or is SD not for me?

Bonus question: what flavor of ppl will i meet there?

Thanks in advance guys

I'll be moving to San Diego in August to start grad school at UCSD, and I'm not sure what the best places are to live.

My Reddit deep-dives tell me Little Italy/North Park/Hillcrest etc. are good places - I'm Female (25) and moving from Toronto, Canada, so I don't mind being far from the beach lol.

Any recommendations for buildings I should look at or any buildings to absolutely avoid? I'll be visiting for a week in July so hopefully I can do some apartment visits, but I assume I'll be signing a lease without seeing the actual place... any suggestions on how to not end up in a regrettable place would be awesome!

Ideally, I'd have good walkability and access to Transit. I don't mind a longer commute up to UCSD either, I might be getting a car!

Thanks friends!

I’m 22m born and raised in Kansas and I’ve been wanting to move for a long time now. San Diego is appealing to me because of its weather and I’ve always wanted to live on the west coast.

I plan to visit in person over the summer but haven’t had a Chance yet. I’m mainly curious about the reality of making this move and any advice from others from the area.

Details about me that’ll impact the moving process

- I have a small dog
- I have a fully paid off car
- my savings is about 4-5k. & 1k in stocks
- I own a house (plan on renting when moving)
- I have a bachelor’s degree in web / app development
- I’ve only worked 3 jobs each for roughly 2-3 years
- I enjoy work with media: websites, writing, coding, game dev, video editing, & graphic design. Most of these are just hobbies
- I’m currently applying around the area
-single / independent
- might convince a friend to split rent if possible

The things I really need to know about this plan

-what is considered good hourly pay to live there (both with and without a roommate
-what are good jobs to have there?
-what’s the average monthly expenses
- what’s the average gas cost (it’s 4.50 in Ks rn)
- how hard is it to meet people there

There’s a lot more I would ask but all I need is an idea of how I could make this happen. I know it may not be the smartest move but after looking all over the US I’ve convinced myself San Diego would be worth it if I manage to pull it off

I (23M) am moving to San Diego later this year for a full‑time role at Qualcomm (Sorrento Valley). I’d love some insight on where to live, what the commute is like, and how to think about budgeting as a young professional.

About me

• Mid‑20s, single, no kids
• Will be working mostly on‑site at Qualcomm’s main campus in Sorrento Valley.
• Comfortable driving, but I’d like to avoid a brutal commute if possible

Budget

• Target rent: around 1,500–1,800/month for my share
• Open to:
  • A room in a 2BR/3BR with flatmates
• I’m trying to keep overall monthly costs reasonable while still having some money for hobbies, going out etc

What I’m looking for in a neighborhood

• Reasonable commute to Qualcomm (ideally under ~30 minutes in rush hour)
• Relatively safe
• Prefer a younger crowd / other working professionals

Questions for locals
Which neighborhoods would you actually recommend (UTC, Mira Mesa, Sorrento Valley, North Park, etc.), and what are the real rush‑hour commute times like from those areas? With a rent budget of around 1,500–1,800/month for my share, is it realistic to get a studio/1BR near Qualcomm, or is it smarter to look for roommates, and are there any specific complexes or pockets you’d strongly recommend or avoid? I’d also love a quick reality check on any local “gotchas” new arrivals don’t usually budget for, plus whether a car is basically mandatory for this commute or if biking/transit from nearby neighborhoods is actually practical in real life.

Currently considering relocating to San Diego for work and trying to get a realistic idea of what my monthly take-home pay would look like after California state taxes.

Single, 27 years old, no kids.

Current estimated monthly expenses:
Rent: ideally under $2,700 (looking around Little Italy / nearby areas)
Car payment: $550
Car insurance: ~$180
401k contribution: 6%
Savings goal: $500/month
Salary would be around $128k/year.

Mainly trying to understand:
Rough monthly California state tax deduction
Estimated take-home pay after taxes/401k
Whether this salary feels comfortable in San Diego

Moving from Los Angeles to San Diego soon and would really appreciate any guidance because I honestly have zero help navigating this transition.
My budget is ideally around $2,200–$2,300 or less for a 1 bedroom, and my biggest priorities are:
-Close to freeways / convenient location
-Not too inland
-Not too far from downtown since I’ll be job hunting and want a decent commute
-Definitely NOT downtown or overly crowded/busy areas
-Prefer quieter neighborhoods, smaller buildings, or private owners over huge apartment complexes
-In-unit washer/dryer is very important
-Central AC is also really important
I want something calmer than LA, less chaotic, but still practical and not too isolated.
I’ve realized beach areas may be out of budget, and I’m trying to avoid giant complexes if possible.
For people familiar with San Diego, what neighborhoods or areas should I realistically focus on based on this? I’d really appreciate honest guidance because I’m doing this pretty much alone.
Thanks in advance!

Hiii! I’m new to SD and really looking for new ways to meet people and make new friends. I enjoy trying new things, riding my bike, roller skating (pretty much anything outdoors lol), beer and live music ! I am a remote worker & as an adult I’ve typically made all my friends through work lol
Looking for like minded people to build genuine friendships with. Not to sound vain, but I am married & preferably looking to make girl friends or couple friends! Just want to add to the transparency :)

Hi everyone!

I’ll be moving to San Diego at the end of the month and would love advice on how to meet people and make friends as an almost 30-year-old (why does it feel so much harder as an adult lol).

A little about me — I enjoy hiking, reading, playing video games (Switch, Steam Deck, PS5, and PC), and trying new places/things around town. I’m definitely hoping to get out more, explore the area, and meet people with similar interests.

If anyone has recommendations for groups, events, clubs, good spots to meet people, or is also looking to make a new friend, feel free to reach out! 😊

Hey everyone, I’m (28M) moving from Phoenix to San Diego in the next couple months for work and could use some advice on neighborhoods/apartments to look into. My job is in the Kearny Mesa area, so I’d ideally like to keep the commute reasonable while still living somewhere that feels safe, fun, and worth the San Diego rent prices. I am looking to keep the rent in the ~3,200 range.

Would love opinions on:

• Best neighborhoods for someone working in Kearny Mesa
• Areas to avoid
• Commute realities during rush hour
• Apartment complexes people actually recommend
• Whether living more central is worth the extra commute

Hi! I’m 38 and moving to San Diego next year. I was originally looking into North PB but after hearing about all the kids I am now looking into Oceanside. Thoughts and feelings? Quiet is good. Adults would be nice. I want to surf and like a sand bottom as I am a beginner. I have 2 cats. I work remote. I will bring my SUV with me but don’t really want to drive too much. I don’t party and really am just happy being a beach bum when I’m not working . Anything else you need to know, just ask!

Hoping to get some honest input from folks who know the SD market.

I'm currently based in Vancouver, working as Director of Asset Management for a mixed-use commercial real estate portfolio that spans all of Canada - about 10M sf under management (20% res, high/low risk, affordable housing; 80% CRE). Background is a B.Sc. (specialization in biochem), then a J.D., then 3 years in Big Law before I burned out and switched into asset management. Worked my way up from a junior AM role to senior AM to director over 5 years.

I've been trying to make the jump to San Diego. So far: roughly 20 applications in, one interview (which fell through because they needed someone to start the following week and there was no way to make that work logistically), and nothing back on the rest.

Worth flagging: I'm TN visa eligible, so there's no sponsorship cost or paperwork burden on the employer side. I've offered to cover lawyer and relocation costs. My older sister lives in PB and i can stay with her until I have my feet on the ground.

I know SD is known for being a brutally competitive market. For anyone in CRE here, in recruiting, or just folks who know the local hiring scene - is this a realistic search, or am I chasing something that isn't really there?

What’s up y’all,
I’m a senior in college down here in South Carolina and lately I’ve been thinking pretty hard about moving out to San Diego after graduation. I know it’s about as opposite from the South as you can get, but every time I’ve been out there I honestly loved it.
Here everything’s slower, everybody knows everybody, college football is basically a religion, and people think you’re crazy if you move across the country without family out there. But something about California just seems cool to me. The weather, being near the water all the time, mountains, palm trees, being able to be outside year round, just seems like a completely different life than what I grew up around.
At the same time though, I wonder if I’d get out there and realize I’m just some southern dude that doesn’t fit in at all. I’ve heard San Diego is laid back compared to LA, but I still feel like it’d be a culture shock going from South Carolina to Southern California.
I’m planning on getting into commercial real estate after school, and part of me thinks moving somewhere totally new while I’m young would be pretty cool before life gets too serious. Worst case I guess I move back home eventually. Anybody here make a similar move from the South to California? Was it worth it or did you regret leaving home? Welcome to throw any advice or suggestions if you think they’re worth sharing. Thanks

I'm from and currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Ill be working as a Border Patrol Agent in Chula Vista beginning in January 2027.

From January 2027-July 2027 my salary will be $74K- there's potential to make much more with OT and night/weekend/holiday pay. However- that's never guaranteed to be consistent- so Im basing budget off of my 6 month $74K salary. In August 2027 i get my 1st salary raise to $83k and automatic raises every year after.

QUESTIONS:

I really only need a 1 bedroom or even a studio.

-Anyone have any suggestions as far as affordable areas to look for rentals that arent far from my station in Chula Vista?

-Is it hard to find roommates, with affordable pricing for a room rental in a decent/nice house in surrounding areas?

-I dont know the political climate in SD, and I know there is a TON of misinformation people claim to think they know about Border Patrol even here in Pittsburgh -Considering that, do you think it will be hard to find roommates that are accepting of my career? I have no political affiliation and my choice to take this career is to help those in need in the drug and human trafficking sector.

-How do i actually find roommates in SD ? Lol

-Is my salary going to have me living paycheck to paycheck eating chicken and oatmeal every day?

Any information you can provide is sincerely appreciated. Im making this move on my own and don't know anyone in the SD area. I can use all the help i can get.

Thank you for your insight!

Thinking about moving to an apartment in the area near the 125. What do people think?

Having very bad luck finding an OBGYN that’s willing to provide care due to being in my second trimester. All providers I spoke with had patient cut offs ranging from 14weeks-22.

I am moving from a place about 3 hours away so I unfortunately cannot stay with my current provider (logistically). Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations?? Not high-risk and not my first pregnancy.

Okay, so my husband and I are planning to move to San Diego from Texas. In our late 40s, married for a gazillion years. I've done tons of research and have visited plenty of times. We'll be visiting again in a few days. I definitely understand that housing is expensive. Buying and renting. But can someone please give an example of other things? I know groceries are more expensive. I've bought them while we were there visiting. Restaurants, etc. I get those.

I see a LOT of people talk about the electricity is extremely expensive. Can you give an example? During the summer in TX, our electric bills get pretty high so I'm wondering how much of an average difference it is since you don't have to use the A/C much in SD. I know the rates are higher, but isn't usage much lower? We also have an electric car, so gas won't be a thing for us. What else am I missing? I know it's probably 100 things I'm not thinking of. Please be specific. I don't want to have to call you all to come live with you after 6 months of living in SD. 😉