🇺🇸 North America

FIRE Number for San Diego, United States

Name: San Diego, United States
Address: San Diego, United States

United States

Perfect Weather, Beach Living, and Laid-Back California Vibes

FIRE Score Based on safety, healthcare, infrastructure & expat friendliness

San Diego offers arguably the best climate in the United States, with year-round sunshine and mild temperatures that rarely dip below 50°F. The city blends world-class beaches, a thriving craft beer scene, and proximity to the Mexican border for affordable day trips. While California taxes and housing costs are real headwinds for FIRE retirees, the quality of life and outdoor lifestyle are hard to beat anywhere in the country.

Lean FIRE, FIRE, and Fat FIRE for San Diego

Needed to retire here is the portfolio that, in a historical backtest, would have lasted your retirement at your chosen confidence and length. Status is the verdict for your portfolio. The 4% rule benchmark is shown underneath each figure for reference only.

Use my own healthcare cost

Lifestyle	Needed to retire here	Monthly Cost
Lean FIRE	$1.56M	$5,200/mo
FIRE	$2.55M	$8,500/mo
Fat FIRE	$6.88M	$22,950/mo

Cost data: Q1 2026 · High confidence

Cost of Living Breakdown for San Diego

All cost and FIRE figures assume a single adult.

Lean FIRE Lifestyle

$1.56M

You live inland in City Heights or El Cajon, well away from the coast, and cook most meals at home. Affordable fish tacos and Mexican food provide budget-friendly dining a couple of times a week. California taxes and high housing costs make this a tight budget, but the beaches, Balboa Park, and Torrey Pines trails are free and the weather is reliably good year-round.

FIRE Lifestyle

$2.55M

You can rent a house in Mission Hills or Point Loma, or a condo near the beach in La Jolla, and dine regularly at the city's top restaurants. Padres season tickets, a sailing club membership, or golf at Torrey Pines fit comfortably. Good private healthcare and regular travel round out a comfortable coastal life, though California taxes reduce spending power compared to no-income-tax states.

Fat FIRE Lifestyle

$6.88M

Premium beachfront housing in La Jolla Shores or Coronado, regular fine dining, a cook who comes several times a week, and a housekeeper. First class travel, full concierge healthcare at Scripps, and the freedom to dine and entertain without thinking about cost. California's high income tax is a real factor at this level, but San Diego's climate and coastal setting are hard to replicate elsewhere.

Retirement Confidence

The 4% rule is a great starting point. Here we go a step further and test your plan against real market history.

Enter your portfolio on the homepage to backtest a retirement in San Diego against market history.

How this is calculated

This is a real historical backtest. We run your plan through every retirement-length window in US market history (1871–2022): a 75% stock / 25% bond portfolio, rebalanced annually, with withdrawals raised each year for that period's actual inflation. The success rate is the share of those historical start years in which the money lasted the full length without running out.

Your confidence level sets the bar: at Balanced (90%), a survival rate of 90% or more reads "You can retire here", within 10 points below is "Close — worth a closer look", and lower is "Not quite yet". The same level sizes the "Needed to retire here" target. Retirement length also drives it — early retirees planning 40–50+ years see lower survival than the 30-year baseline.

Healthcare, Visa & City Overview

climate Warm

healthcare Excellent

english Widely spoken

safety Safe

visa Easy

Timezone

PST (UTC-8)

Currency

USD

Language

English

Avg. Temperature

64°F / 18°C

Internet

200+ Mbps average

Airport

San Diego International (SAN)

Frequently Asked Questions About Retiring in San Diego

What is the FIRE Number for San Diego, United States?

The FIRE Number for San Diego ranges from $1.56M (Lean FIRE lifestyle) to $6.88M (Fat FIRE lifestyle). A FIRE retirement requires a portfolio of approximately $2.55M, based on estimated monthly costs of $8,500 and a 4% safe withdrawal rate.

How much does it cost to retire in San Diego?

Monthly living costs in San Diego range from $5,200 (Lean FIRE) to $8,500 (FIRE), covering housing, dining, groceries, healthcare, transportation, entertainment, and utilities.

What is healthcare like in San Diego for retirees?

Healthcare in San Diego costs approximately $775 to $875/month depending on coverage level. Covered California Silver plan; California's exchange offers competitive rates.

What is the weather like in San Diego?

Subtropical Mediterranean with warm, dry summers and mild winters The average temperature is 64°F / 18°C.

How safe is San Diego for retirees?

Moderate – safe by large US city standards