How much house can I afford in San Diego on $120k?
About $2,800 a month at 28% gross. That often maps to a home near $550k–$650k with 20% down — below the median.
San Diego · California
How Much House Can You Afford in San Diego?
Median home near $920,000. Typical household income near $95,000. High — military and tech wages help, but insurance and HOA add up fast. Calculator below uses San Diego tax and insurance defaults.
Local numbers for San Diego
$920,000Median home price
$287,500+Rough gross income for median home (3× rule)
0.73%Property tax (effective)
0.48%Insurance (of home value / yr)
On a median $920,000 home, tax near 0.73% is about $559/month. Insurance near 0.48% is about $368/month. HOA near $320/month where it applies.
Military BAH and tech jobs support demand. Coastal zip codes run above the county median.
Affordability in San Diego: local context
San Diego mixes military, biotech, and tourism wages. Median income near $95k does not always match coastal list prices above $900k.
BAH can help service members qualify. Civilians should still use gross W-2 pay in the calculator. Do not mix BAH and base pay twice.
Insurance runs higher near the coast. East County and South Bay often have lower list prices with longer commutes.
Mello-Roos districts add tax on new builds. Ask the seller for the full annual tax bill before you write an offer.
FAQ — San Diego
Does San Diego have Mello-Roos?
Some new builds add special tax districts. Ask for the full tax bill before you offer.