Side by side
What changes when you move from Los Angeles
| Los Angeles | San Diego | |
|---|---|---|
| Weather | Warm and dry, cooler at the beach | Very similar, and a little milder along the coast |
| Getting back | Home | About two hours by car, or about three by train on the Pacific Surfliner |
| State income tax | California | No change. You are staying in California |
| Property tax | Proposition 13 base on your current home | A new base at your San Diego purchase price. If you are 55 or older, Proposition 19 may let you bring your current base with you |
| Daily life | Long cross-town drives shape the day | A smaller, easier county. Most errands and commutes are shorter |
| Housing | Westside, South Bay and Valley prices | Comparable coastal prices at the very top, and generally more home for the money elsewhere |
General comparisons at the time of writing. Tax rules change, so confirm with your CPA.
Neighborhood matchmaker
San Diego neighborhoods that feel like home
No two places are the same, but these are the areas our clients from the Los Angeles area ask about most. The quiz will refine the list to fit you.
If you love Santa Monica or Venice
Look at Encinitas, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach
Walkable beach neighborhoods with surf, coffee and personality.
If you love Manhattan Beach or Hermosa Beach
Look at Del Mar, Coronado and Carlsbad
Family beach towns with strong schools and a village center.
If you love Brentwood or Pacific Palisades
Look at La Jolla and Rancho Santa Fe
Privacy, views and the top of the market.
If you love Malibu
Look at The Del Mar bluffs and La Jolla's coastline
Oceanfront living with a town a few minutes away.
If you love Silver Lake or Los Feliz
Look at North Park and South Park
Craftsman homes, independent restaurants and Balboa Park next door.
If you love Pasadena or South Pasadena
Look at Mission Hills, Coronado and La Mesa
Historic homes on tree-lined streets.
If you love Calabasas or Westlake Village
Look at Carmel Valley, Poway and 4S Ranch
Newer homes, space and well-regarded schools.
The money side
Equity, taxes and what your budget buys
If you own on the Westside or in the South Bay, your equity is likely to buy a larger home, a better view or a shorter walk to the sand in San Diego. Because the move is within California, your income tax stays the same. Property tax resets to the new purchase price unless you qualify to transfer your base. Homeowners who are 55 or older may be able to do that under Proposition 19, and it can be worth a great deal on a long-held Los Angeles home. Being two hours away is an advantage too. You can tour on a Saturday, come back for the inspection, and never book a flight.
For a closer look at jumbo loans, property taxes, 1031 exchanges and how to hold title, see buying at the top of the San Diego market.
How to make the move without the stress
Narrow it to three areas
Take the quiz, read the area guide, and tell us what your days look like. We will suggest places you may not have considered.
Set the order of operations
Sell first, buy first, or bridge between the two. We map it with a lender before anything is listed.
Come for one focused weekend
We plan the route, the showings and the coffee stops. You see each area at the times of day that matter.
Handle the rest from home
Video tours, electronic signatures and a mobile notary mean you only travel when you want to.
Los Angeles to San Diego
Questions we hear from Los Angeles buyers
Is San Diego cheaper than Los Angeles?
It depends on where you compare. San Diego's top coastal areas, such as Del Mar and La Jolla, are priced like the Westside and the South Bay beach cities. Across most of the county, buyers from Los Angeles find they get more space for the same budget.
How far is San Diego from Los Angeles?
About 120 miles. The drive takes roughly two hours without traffic, and Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner runs between the two downtowns in about three hours with stops in Oceanside and Solana Beach.
Which San Diego neighborhoods feel like Santa Monica or Manhattan Beach?
Encinitas, Ocean Beach and Pacific Beach share the walkable, surf-town feel of Santa Monica and Venice. Del Mar, Coronado and Carlsbad are closest to Manhattan Beach and Hermosa Beach, with strong schools and village centers.
Is traffic better in San Diego than in Los Angeles?
Generally, yes. San Diego has rush hours on the 5, the 805 and the 15, but the county is smaller and most daily trips are shorter. We plan home searches around the commute you will really drive.
Talk to a local
Planning a move from Los Angeles?
Andrew Luria and Jaime Chambers have reported on San Diego's neighborhoods for decades and now help families move here. Tell us about your plans and we will reply with honest thoughts. No sales pitch.
Also moving from: Seattle · San Francisco · Phoenix