San Diego sales tax guide
Shopping in San Diego means paying one of the lower combined sales tax rates in California: 7.75%, against a statewide average combined rate of 8.85%. Among the 30 major US cities we track, San Diego ranks 21 by combined rate. This guide shows how the rate is built and what it adds to real purchases.
How the San Diego rate is built
The lowest combined rate of any large California city — only about 0.50% of district tax (TransNet) above the 7.25% statewide base. Groceries are exempt.
No single government sets the 7.75% figure. The state of California sets the base rate of 7.25%, and county, city and special-district taxes stack on top of it. That stacking is why the rate can change across a city boundary — and why the address of the sale, not the seller's home address, decides the tax on most transactions.
What the rate does to real purchases
| Purchase | Tax at 7.75% | Total |
|---|---|---|
| $25 purchase | $1.94 | $26.94 |
| $100 purchase | $7.75 | $107.75 |
| $500 purchase | $38.75 | $538.75 |
| $1,000 purchase | $77.5 | $1,077.5 |
| $10,000 purchase | $775 | $10,775 |
| $35,000 car (where vehicles are taxed at sale) | $2,712.5 | $37,712.5 |
Groceries: Groceries are generally exempt from the state sales tax; local rules can differ. Prepared food and restaurant meals are taxed at the full rate in most jurisdictions, even where groceries for home consumption are exempt or reduced.
San Diego vs other California cities
Every city below shares the same 7.25% California base rate — the differences are local layers. San Diego sits 1.1 points below the statewide average combined rate of 8.85%.
| City | Combined rate | Tax on $1,000 |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | 9.5% | $95 |
| San Jose | 9.375% | $93.75 |
| San Francisco | 8.625% | $86.25 |
| San Diego (this guide) | 7.75% | $77.5 |
What this means in San Diego
On planned purchases the rate is a line item, not a rounding error: $775 on $10,000, which is $110 less than the same purchase at the California average rate. Households near a lower-rate city boundary sometimes route vehicles, appliances and furniture purchases accordingly; on weekly spending, the difference is a few dollars a month and rarely worth a trip.
Selling in San Diego
If your business delivers into San Diego, the rate your customer pays is generally the combined rate at their address. Once your California sales pass the state's economic-nexus threshold you must register, collect and remit — the threshold and filing basics are covered on the San Diego sales tax page, and the statewide picture is in the California tax guide.
Sales tax · combined rate
Property tax · average effective
Chart: DailyFinance.tools · Rates are reviewed averages from our state tax dataset — your exact local rate may differ.
San Diego sales tax FAQs
What is the sales tax rate in San Diego?
The combined sales tax rate in San Diego is approximately 7.75%, made up of the California state rate plus county, city and district taxes. The lowest combined rate of any large California city — only about 0.50% of district tax (TransNet) above the 7.25% statewide base. Groceries are exempt.
How much tax do I pay on a $100 purchase in San Diego?
At 7.75%, a $100 taxable purchase in San Diego carries about $7.75 in sales tax, for a total of $107.75. On $1,000 the tax is $77.5; on $10,000 it is $775.
Why is the San Diego rate different from the rest of California?
Sales tax is stacked: the state sets a base rate and local governments add their own. San Diego adds local layers that bring the combined rate to 7.75%, compared with a statewide average combined rate of about 8.85% — a gap of 1.1 points.
How does San Diego compare with other US cities?
San Diego ranks 21 of the 30 major cities in our dataset by combined rate (dataset average 7.93%). The highest is Seattle at 10.35% and the lowest is Portland at 0%. Against the all-state average combined rate of 6.61%, San Diego is 1.14 points higher.
Are groceries taxed in San Diego?
Groceries are generally exempt from the state sales tax; local rules can differ.
Where can I verify the exact rate for a San Diego address?
The 7.75% figure is the typical combined rate inside city limits; district taxes can shift it block by block. Verify the rate for a specific address with the California Department of Revenue before a major purchase or a filing.
Reviewed by Tahir Shehzad, ACMA · State tax data reviewed November 2026 against official sources — see our Methodology and Editorial Policy. Figures are educational estimates, not tax or financial advice. For a filing decision, confirm with the California Department of Revenue.