San Diego inflation calculator: CPI-U since 1965

San Diego in 2025

No metro posted a higher annual rate than San Diego in 2025. Its annual average rose 3.8 %, against 2.6 % for the U.S. city average and 2.7 % for the West region. The year before, San Diego had posted 3.1 %. Because San Diego is an odd-month area, that 2025 average rests on its usual six indexes; even-month areas built theirs from five.

Energy and education

San Diego energy was +23.3 % over the 12 months to September 2026, above the national energy index (+20.4 %). That was the fastest energy rise of any western metro. Transportation, which includes motor fuel, was +7.0 %.

Education and communication came in at +14.2 %, against +2.3 % nationally. This group weighs little in the basket, and a local reading of it rests on few prices, so it can swing widely between releases. Shelter, the heavy item, was +2.5 %, food at home +1.3 %, recreation +8.5 %, and core prices +3.8 %.

Not the Los Angeles index

San Diego has its own BLS series, separate from Los Angeles and Riverside. The three differ in schedule as well as in level: Los Angeles is priced every month, San Diego and Riverside only in odd months. From the 2018 annual average, $1,000 grew to $1,398 on San Diego prices and to $1,349 on Los Angeles prices. A contract written for San Diego should name the San Diego-Carlsbad series in full, or the West region if the parties want a larger sample.

Nothing missing in October 2025

The 2025 lapse in appropriations wiped out October 2025 for every area priced that month. San Diego was not one of them. Its September and November 2025 indexes exist, and the next index, for November 2026, is due on December 10, 2026 with a normal 12-month change. An even month typed into the calculator uses the San Diego index of the month before.

Records since 1965

The highest San Diego annual rate is 16.4 %, in 1979. The lowest is -0.02 %, in 2009. Prices fell on an annual basis in 2009. Between November 1986 and November 2017, the BLS published no monthly San Diego index, only annual averages. A month typed in that span uses the annual average of its year, with a note; the West region has monthly figures for those years. Over the long run, $100 at the 1970 annual average equals $1,199.50 at September 2026 San Diego prices, against $868.40 on the national index.