How much does it cost to commute in San Diego?
In the San Diego metro area, households spend about 48.0% of income on the combined cost of housing and transportation, with transportation alone accounting for roughly 17.0% of income — about $16,292 per year for a typical household. (Source: CNT Housing + Transportation Affordability Index, area-median-income household.)
Public-transit fares near downtown San Diego range from $1.25 to $58.00, with a median single-trip fare of $12.00 (priced fares in the data cover North County Transit District) and 32 priced origin-destination fare pairs in the data.
Driving downtown means paying about $10.99 a day to park (median of 40 sampled garages). The region has 17 priced toll facilities, with rates from $2.75 to $8.75. On a simple daily round-trip basis from the data here, the lowest-cost option is driving and parking at about $16.49 per day.
Cost by mode in San Diego
Daily round-trip cost, lowest first. All figures.
| Mode | Daily round trip | How it's priced |
|---|---|---|
| Drive (park + toll)Cheapest | $16.49 | downtown parking $10.99/day + 2 x lowest priced toll ($2.75) |
| Public transit | $24.00 | 2 x median transit fare ($12.00) |
Public transit fares
| Agency | Fares | Median | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| North County Transit District | 233 | $12.00 | $1.25–$58.00 |
Toll roads near San Diego
17 priced toll facilities, rates from $2.75 to $8.75.
| Facility | Operator | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Gate Bridge | Golden Gate Bridge District | $8.75 |
| SR-73 San Joaquin Hills Toll Road | TCA | $7.50 |
| Bay Area Toll Bridges (7) | BATA | $7.00 |
| I-405 Express Lanes (Orange County) | Orange County Transportation Authority | $6.00 |
| SR-241 Foothill/Eastern Toll Road | TCA | $6.00 |
| I-680 SMART Carpool Lanes (Sunol) | Sunol Smart Corridor JPA | $5.00 |
| I-10 Express Lanes (LA Metro ExpressLanes) | LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority | $4.50 |
| I-580 Express Lanes (Alameda) | Alameda County Transportation Commission | $4.50 |
Downtown parking
Housing + Transportation affordability
The widely cited affordability benchmark is 45% for housing + transportation combined. Source: CNT H+T Index (AMI household). Typical household drives 16,505 miles/yr.
The numbers above are metro-wide medians. Enter your real origin and destination to compare drive, transit, park-and-ride, bike, and Uber by actual dollars — gas, tolls, parking, and fares included.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to commute by transit in San Diego?
The median single-trip transit fare in the San Diego area is $12.00, ranging from $1.25 to $58.00 depending on the agency and trip distance. A daily round trip costs roughly $24.00.
Is it cheaper to drive or take transit in San Diego?
Taking transit costs about $24.00 for a daily round trip, while driving and parking downtown costs about $16.49 per day (parking $10.99 plus tolls from $2.75). Driving is the cheaper option on a daily basis.
How much is daily parking in downtown San Diego?
Downtown San Diego parking costs about $10.99 per day, or $216.30 per month for a reserved spot, based on 40 sampled garages.
What are the toll roads near San Diego and what do they cost?
The San Diego region has 17 priced toll facilities. The highest-rate facility is Golden Gate Bridge (Golden Gate Bridge District) at $8.75. Rates across the region run from $2.75 to $8.75.
What share of income goes to housing and transportation in San Diego?
In the San Diego metro, a typical household spends about 48.0% of income on housing and transportation combined, with 17.0% on transportation alone — roughly $16,292 per year. The widely cited affordability benchmark is 45% for H+T combined.