Los Angeles vs San Diego side by side
Both cities are in California, so state income tax, Proposition 13 and the statewide disclosure rules are the same. What differs is price, rent, sales tax, transfer tax and the pace of the market. Rows marked Zillow and Redfin are separate measures and should be compared only within their own row.
| Measure | Los Angeles (city) | San Diego (city) |
|---|---|---|
| Zillow typical home value, Sept 2026 | $927,891 | $980,490 |
| Zillow value change, 1 year / 5 years | -0.5% / +7.9% | +0.1% / +21.1% |
| Zillow observed rent, Sept 2026 | $2,772 | $3,004 |
| Redfin median sale price, 3 months to Sept 2026 | $1,032,508 | $979,034 |
| Redfin median days on market | 56 | 28 |
| Redfin months of supply | 5.4 | 3.1 |
| Sales tax rate from Oct 1, 2026 | 10.25% | 7.75% |
| City transfer tax on a sale | 0.45%, plus Measure ULA above $5.4 million | None added by the city |
| Metro unemployment, Sept 2026 | 4.4% | 4.7% |
The cities are close on price. San Diego's typical home is worth slightly more on Zillow's measure, while Redfin's recent sales in Los Angeles came in higher, because the mix of homes that sold differs. San Diego homes sell about twice as fast.
LA vs San Diego, factor by factor
Home prices in Los Angeles and San Diego
Zillow's typical home value was $980,490 in San Diego and $927,891 in Los Angeles in September 2026. Five years ago the order was reversed: San Diego values rose 21.1% over that span, Los Angeles values only 7.9%. Los Angeles is still 4.3% below its December 2024 peak of $969,339. At county level the figures were $926,979 for San Diego County and $871,674 for Los Angeles County.
How fast homes sell
Redfin's rolling three-month figures to September 2026 show San Diego homes going under contract in a median 28 days, with 3.1 months of supply. In Los Angeles the median was 56 days with 5.4 months of supply. About 30% of homes sold above list price in both cities. For a buyer, Los Angeles currently offers more choice and more time to negotiate; for a seller, San Diego is the quicker market.
Price per square foot
Redfin's three-month median price per square foot to September 2026 was $681.99 in San Diego and $622.64 in Los Angeles, so space costs about 10% more in San Diego even though Los Angeles' median sale price was higher. That points to larger homes in the Los Angeles sales mix; per square foot, San Diego is the pricier city.
Houses vs condos in each county
Redfin's county figures for August 2026 put the median single-family sale at $1,021,250 in Los Angeles County and $1,100,000 in San Diego County. Condos and co-ops were the cheaper entry point in both: a $628,000 median in Los Angeles County, where they took a median 70 days to sell, and $590,000 in San Diego County, at 44 days. If a condo is your budget, Los Angeles County currently has more unsold supply, 7.2 months against 4.6. Our Los Angeles condos page has more.
Price cuts
Zillow's metro data for September 2026 show 24.4% of listings in the Los Angeles metro and 28.8% in the San Diego metro with a price cut, so sellers in both are adjusting asking prices. Watch the price history of any listing you like.
Rent: San Diego costs more
Zillow's observed rent was $3,004 in San Diego and $2,772 in Los Angeles in September 2026. San Diego rent rose 2.2% over the year and 21.8% over five years; Los Angeles rose 0.8% and 14.4%. If you are renting before you buy, Los Angeles is the cheaper of the two.
Monthly payment on the typical home
With 20% down at Freddie Mac's 7.24% average for the week of October 29, 2026, principal and interest on Zillow's typical San Diego value come to about $5,346 a month. The same terms on the typical Los Angeles value cost about $5,059. Add property tax of at least 1% of the price a year under Proposition 13, plus any local bonds; see our Los Angeles County and San Diego County property tax guides.
Sales tax: a 2.5-point gap
The CDTFA rate table effective October 1, 2026 lists the City of Los Angeles at 10.25% and the City of San Diego at 7.75%. On $20,000 of taxable purchases a year, that is $500 more in Los Angeles; on a $40,000 car bought in each city, $1,000 more.
Transfer tax when you sell
Both counties charge documentary transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000. The City of Los Angeles adds 0.45%, and Measure ULA adds 4% on sales above $5.4 million and under $10.9 million, and 5.5% at $10.9 million or more, for deals closing after June 30, 2026. Old Republic Title's chart of city transfer taxes lists none for the City of San Diego. On a $1 million sale the Los Angeles city tax alone is $4,500. See our California transfer tax guide.
Property tax rates
The Tax Foundation's 2024 county data show the same effective rate in both counties, 0.67%, with median bills of $5,675 in Los Angeles County and $5,774 in San Diego County. Those medians include long-time owners on low Prop 13 bases. A buyer pays roughly 1% of the purchase price plus local bonds and any Mello-Roos district at the address; see our Mello-Roos guide.
Jobs and unemployment
The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the September 2026 unemployment rate at 4.4% for the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro and 4.7% for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro (preliminary, not seasonally adjusted). Los Angeles is a far larger labor market, so the range of employers in any one field is wider.
Getting around
Both cities are car-oriented. Los Angeles has a larger rail network through LA Metro; San Diego's MTS runs the Trolley. Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner links the two downtowns. Commute times depend on the exact route, so drive the trip at rush hour before you choose a home.
Insurance and wildfire
Parts of both cities, especially hillside and canyon areas, are mapped in CAL FIRE fire hazard severity zones, and insurers price that risk. Check the CAL FIRE zone for any address and get an insurance quote before your contingency period ends; our wildfire zones guide and FAIR Plan guide explain the options.
Neighborhood prices in each city
Los Angeles neighborhoods by price
Zillow's neighborhood values show the spread inside Los Angeles: $4,140,242 in Bel Air, $2,828,959 in Brentwood, $1,849,421 in Mar Vista, $1,449,811 in Westchester, $1,316,850 in Sherman Oaks, $839,245 in North Hollywood and $548,965 Downtown. Beverlywood was $2,313,915. Browse more on our Los Angeles neighborhoods page.
San Diego neighborhoods by price
In San Diego, Zillow's typical value was $2,426,826 in La Jolla, $1,916,354 in Carmel Valley, $1,357,251 in Scripps Ranch, $1,367,888 in Pacific Beach, $981,325 in Mira Mesa, $964,541 in University City, $956,766 in North Park and $580,970 in East Village. San Diego's spread is narrower than Los Angeles' at the top end.
How to choose between LA and San Diego
- Price the same kind of home (size, age, lot) in two specific neighborhoods, one in each city, rather than comparing citywide figures.
- Work out the commute you would actually make, at the hour you would make it.
- Add sales tax and, if you might sell above $5.4 million in Los Angeles, Measure ULA to your long-run cost.
- Get insurance quotes and the CAL FIRE zone for each address.
- Compare the market data for each county on our Los Angeles County and San Diego County data pages, and start with the Los Angeles and San Diego city guides.