Physician Salary in San Diego, CA

The headline median of $245,000 is only part of the picture. San Diego, CA's cost of living index is 152 (US average = 100), meaning a dollar here buys roughly 66¢ of what it buys in an average US city. The $245,000 salary effectively purchases $161,184 worth of goods and services at national-average prices.

Housing is the single biggest driver of cost-of-living differences between metros. In San Diego, CA, the median household typically spends 35–45% of gross income on housing — significantly above the 28% "affordable" threshold most lenders use. For a $245,000 salary, that translates to roughly $98,000/year on housing alone.

State tax plays a meaningful but smaller role. California levies a state income tax of approximately 9.3%, which reduces take-home by roughly $22,785 per year on this salary. States with zero income tax (Texas, Florida, Washington, Tennessee, Nevada) offer a structural advantage, but often offset it with higher sales tax or property tax. After state tax and approximate federal FICA (~7.6%), the estimated take-home is $205,327. This excludes federal income tax, which varies by filing status and deductions.

For comparison, here are nearby alternatives: San Francisco, CA ($260,000 median, COL 186); Los Angeles, CA ($255,000 median, COL 173); New York, NY ($250,000 median, COL 187). If you're optimizing for purchasing power, compare the COL-adjusted column in the table above and pick the highest number. If you're optimizing for career progression, weight total employment and yearly growth in the role — larger markets offer more lateral moves and promotion velocity, even when nominal pay is lower.

The 1.8% year-over-year growth rate for Physicians in San Diego, CA is a leading indicator of market health. A mature, slower-growth market — often higher-paid in absolute terms but with fewer open roles and slower lateral moves. For side-by-side comparisons, try the full city ranking for Physicians or the California state overview.