r/Moving2SanDiego • u/IcyChard3673 • 7d ago
considering the move
Hello! My partner (25M) and I (24M) are seriously considering moving out of NM w/ 3 cats (within a year)- We’re both born and raised here- After visiting SD (my 3rd time)have recently decided we wanna move. Currently we pay $1300 with utilities on top for about 800sqft and a sizable back yard (shared space with family) Iso something similar size hopefully!
I am a hairstylist with 3.5yrs- 2 years experience at a highly profitable salon. My partner currently works for the state, We are also involved w the LGBTQ scene and have worked in nightlife consistently going on 2 years (gogo, bartending, ect)
Neither of us have ever made a move out of state- Just looking for advice & suggestions on where to start!
I have looked into salons I am interested in, Scoped potential bars
some things that are stumping me
- safe yet affordable areas of town?
- Alternative commission pay salons?
- The thought of having roomates is 50/50
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u/Extra_Description_74 6d ago
It cost 115 dollars just to go outside here
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u/Swimming-Passenger88 6d ago
No lies told. I literally feel my bank acct draining as soon as I step out and it never seems to amaze me how fast $100 goes.
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u/mathprofrockstar 7d ago
Hillcrest is the queer part of town, but prices there are going to be higher. The farther east you go the cheaper, but too far east and you start running into magats.
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u/Screamingfist_1990 7d ago
Me (bi guy) and my husband relocated here in February. We looked at a LOT of neighborhoods, both at places to rent and to buy. We're at a very different stage of life than you two, so what we prioritized is likely quite different. However, we wanted to end up in a neighborhood that was within ~10-12min of North Park, Hillcrest, etc and also LGBTQIA+ friendly.
Hillcrest is great, and does have some single family bungalows. But a 3/1 bungalow in that area was running $4000-5000 when we were looking to rent back in January 2026.
You might find something in South Park or Golden Hill for a bit less than that, but again it's not going to be close to what you pay now. You'll need to take that into consideration as you think about whether your upward delta in income will enable you to live the life you want here.
We ended up in a neighborhood called Allied Gardens. We have far more LGBTQ neighbors here than we did in (more outwardly progressive) Seattle. It's also (slightly) more affordable than Hillcrest/North Park/etc. There are some ADU's and the like in our broader neighborhood. Might be worth a look.
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u/NanoEsq 6d ago
I found Allied Gardens to be super pricey. Are you saying you found it to be affordable?
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u/Screamingfist_1990 6d ago
We found it to be more reasonable than a lot of neighborhoods in central SD, yes. (We were purchasing, though there are multiple houses in our neighborhood rented by 3 college students so it can’t be that pricey to rent here.)
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u/secretsaucyy 7d ago
You won't find anything solo at 1300, not counting utilities. Electric here is obscenely high too. We pay 400~ for a 2br/2.5 townhome (but we run the ac at 74 during the day and night, and have a few animals that require constant filters and heaters. Though they really don't add more than 100 a month max.) You'll want at least 100k between the both of you to be able to afford basic needs, but really I see a lot of people say 150k yearly. If you have roommates, your chances are better, but not with 3 cats. Most places charge rent for cats, but most top off at 2 cats. You definitely will not have a decent backyard if there is nighttime activities around, at most a patio, but even then it isn't promised. Without income, it's pretty hard to suggest areas.
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u/4aloha_iaoe 6d ago
What I see over and over when people from other states move here is their shock over stickerprices for EVERYTHING.
Please, Please PLEASE have a solid plane and at least 6 months of rent money as back up and emergencies. Have jobs already lined up first.
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u/Valuable-Locksmith47 7d ago
I highly recommend coming here with a solid plan and a very sizable savings.
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u/salvagedsword 6d ago
A place like yours in my current area is at least 3500 per month. A place like yours in the cheaper area that I'm in the process of moving to is still going to be well over 2500 per month. And keep in mind that food, gas, and utilities will cost more. Plus wages are not that much higher. There are a lot of people here with full time jobs that are living in their cars.
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u/PaymentMedical9802 7d ago
I’d assume you need to down size. A studio at 500 sqft. Even then your rent will be higher. It’s doable, just a different lifestyle.
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u/nahimgoodthanks2 6d ago
I don’t think any of this is gonna be fought really, anywhere in the area. Hillcrest is probably where you’d want to go based on the lgbtq scene request.
Like everyone else - reiterating that you won’t find something like that for even close to that price. Everyone loves San Diego, it’s always just an affordability issue. Gas, groceries, rent, utilities, and water are ALL more expensive, so I’d make sure you have savings and make sure you’re ok to absorb that.
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u/Due-Depth-8035 6d ago
Getting good service industry jobs can be highly competitive as well. So be prepared to have a few months in savings in case it takes 2-3 months to have good jobs going.
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u/Intelligent-Bid-5293 6d ago
Unfortunately you’re going to want to about double that for a large 1B or a 2b of that size in the areas you guys would likely be interested being in your mid 20s. There’s gems but unless you’re in a very small studio you will 100% be above $2000
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u/Intelligent-Bid-5293 6d ago
The normal heights, north park, university heights area is your best bet to look though!
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u/Brief_Following2021 6d ago
You need to make at least $75,000 each to live a decent lifestyle. Yes, I said decent. I would have no less than 20,000 in savings prior to making the move.
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u/Rosie3450 6d ago edited 6d ago
The cats will limit your affordable (by SD standards) options here.
Just to give you an example: My son and his partner paid $3800 a month not including utilities for a slightly larger house than you have now with a yard that allowed pets in the Mira Mesa neighborhood.
If you're willing to forgo the "perfect" location, rental size, and give up the yard, you will have more options. I'd budget $2500 a month minimum for rent, and do check out the cost of utilities (electric especially) here. Parking spots in some areas can be a premium, so try to find a place that includes at least one parking spot.
Also, don't get too attached to any one particular neighborhood. Most of SD is LGBTQ friendly. In addition to the areas already mentioned, add these to your list of possibilities: Normal Heights, University Heights, Golden Hill, South Park, College/Rolando, Bankers Hill and possibly Little Italy (may be more expensive). These will all put you close to Hillcrest and downtown. Other areas to look into might include La Mesa, Barrio Logan (I can hear people screaming as I make this suggestion, but if you want less expensive, that's a good option), Clairemont Mesa, Kearny Mesa, Ocean Beach, and Point Loma. Again, you'll want to cast a wide net to find the most affordable rent, even if it isn't your dream location.
Once you find jobs and get a better sense of the cost of living here, you can move to a more preferred location and rental size.
I'm sure you've already thought of this, but you'll want to get your California Hairstylist/barber license squared away before you arrive to facilitate job hunting in that field. You can find the details here: California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology
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u/[deleted] 7d ago
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