San Diego is a great city for business venture. It’s considered as one of the best U.S. cities for startups. These 14 entrepreneurs can vouch for that. You have every reason to move your business to the city, but you may have doubts when it comes moving yourself – and your family if you’re blessed with one – to the city.
Commuting can be tiresome, and it’s probably for the better of you and your business if you move closer to your business’ headquarters for convenience sake. Good for you, there are plenty of upsides moving to San Diego.
Situated at the very southern part of the state of California, San Diego is famous for its beaches, Mexican food and outdoor activities. Along with the availability of these, it may be beneficial to know that a San Diegan can live a very exciting lifestyle without paying an arm and a leg.
Costs of Living in San Diego
If you’re considering moving to San Diego, you’re probably wondering what the cost of living is like. Between things like rent, utilities, transportation, etc. costs can add up. Understandably, that may result in the occasional financial stress that comes with living in any major city. To avoid this after moving in, it is important to be informed about the expected costs that accompany this city.
Here are a few of the major costs associated with living in San Diego:
- Rent and Utilities– to afford renting a place in San Diego you will need to be bringing in at least $2,000 to $2,500
- Transportation– Gas in San Diego sits around $3.70 per gallon. For public transportation it is about $72 for a monthly pass.
- Food- The average cost for food for one person is $320 a month.
- Tax Rates- in San Diego the 2018 tax rate was at 7.75%. The state of California also has additional taxes on things like gasoline and cigarettes.
Resources Available – for You and Your Business
According to Daniel Passov, President of Greek U, there are plenty of resources available in San Diego. He says, “It turns out that there are endless resources to help you build, grow, scale, and exit your business. And it’s right in front of you. You don’t need “open your eyes,” you actually need to open your mouth and start talking. Over the past few years, San Diego has become a community of startups. The sense of camaraderie within the entrepreneur community has given me unlimited resources to help in every aspect of my company.”
Regarding financial resources, there are many different kinds of financial solutions for you and your business. Knowing about the different kinds funding which the state allows can be a valuable piece of knowledge- especially if you want to live here.
Here are some of the lending solutions available in San Diego:
- Personal Loans– These can used for all sorts of expenses, they are usually given out by banks or private lending companies operating in San Diego.
- Credit Cards- Credit cards are one of the most commonly used solutions in the United States. They can be used almost anywhere and often come with perks and rewards.
- Title Loans– In these types of loans a vehicle’s title is involved. In order to take out a title loan a borrower has to put down their vehicle’s title as collateral. These loans can be one of the most accessible, and time saving financial solutions, offered in San Diego.
- Credit Builder Loans- These types of loans are used by those who need to build or improve their credit. The borrower will secure the loan with a small amount of their own funds- to get an equal or larger amount from a lender.
- Pay Day Loans- These are short term loans, usually for small amounts that rely on pay check cycles.
San Diego Is Known For its Higher Income
For many a higher income can be life changing, and in San Diego that income raise may be waiting for you no matter what profession your work is in. In 2016 the average household income for San Diego was $71,481. This average was higher than the average income for the rest of the United States which was around $57,000 that same year.
Most of San Diego’s Tourism is Extremely Cheap or Free
In “the birthplace of California,” they like to say that it’s always 70 degrees, no matter the time of year. And there’s plenty of fun things to do in that 70-degree weather. For those also trying to save some money it is good to know that a lot of these activities are free or extremely cheap.
If you’re a beach lover, you’ll be delighted to know that San Diego has a variety of sandy spots for you to while away a Saturday afternoon. Whether you prefer something upscale like Pacific Beach or a little more lowkey like Ocean Beach, you’ll find it somewhere along the San Diego’s portion of the California coast. Some of these beaches are free for its residents while others may have minuscule costs associated with them.
And the outdoor activities don’t stop at the beaches! The San Diego zoo is one of the most famous in the world. There are over 3,700 animals of more than 650 species and subspecies. It’s a great place no matter how much structure you like in your visits. There are often discounted tickets for residents and tourists alike, all year round.
If hiking or water activities are more your style, San Diego has you covered there too. Just 20 minutes south of San Diego is Torrey Pines Nature Reserve. One of the wildest stretches of Southern California, its 1500 acres that are reminiscent of what the early explorers and settlers in the region would’ve seen, all that trail for free.
San Diego’s Food is Truly Fantastic in Taste, Quality and Cost Effectiveness
Do you like Mexican food and beer? San Diego has both in spades. Being located close to the southern border of the U.S.A., San Diego has some of the best Mexican food around. San Diego was recently ranked third-best beer city in America by Forbes. The best part is all this amazing food and beverage, cost about the same as other places in the United States. The average cost of eating out for two at a nicer restaurant is about $60 dollars, the average cost for two at a casual restaurant is $12. While paying the same price as other states, a diner gets the world renowned tastes and quality that can only come from a city in California.
Education in San Diego Can be Cheap
San Diego is home of a number of different universities and a swathe of colleges. Ranging in size and specialties, the institutes of higher education have the major you’re looking for no matter what kind of beach-lover student you are. The average cost of tuition in San Diego is about $50,000 a year. However it is good to know that there is a ton of financial aid and scholarship opportunities available to help lower the costs that come with going to school here. In fact about 78% of students who go to school in California receive some type of financial aid.
Whether you’re looking for a great vacation spot or a new place to put down roots, San Diego could be the place for you. Between the great selection of bars and restaurants and the myriad of outdoor activities, you’ll never run out of things to do, and save money while doing them! No matter what point you are in your life, student, settling down, raising kids, or something else, you’ll find financial security and adventuring in San Diego can go hand in hand.