RATE BREAKDOWN
San Diego Sales Tax Rate, Broken Down
| Component | Rate |
|---|---|
| California statewide base rate | 7.25% |
| District taxes in San Diego | 0.5% |
| Total San Diego sales tax | 7.75% |
2026 SAN DIEGO SALES TAX
San Diego Sales Tax 2026
San Diego sales tax is 7.750% — the San Diego County baseline, and low enough that California's second-largest city is cheaper to shop in than almost every suburb around it. Chula Vista, National City and Escondido all charge a full point more.
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Sales tax due
San Diego, CA · 7.75%
TOTAL WITH TAX$107.75$7.75 of sales tax
Price 92.8%Sales tax 7.2%
Price before tax$100.00
Sales tax at 7.75%+$7.75
Total$107.75
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Sales tax is charged on the delivery address, not the billing address, and some goods are exempt or taxed differently. See the methodology and source list.
The rate below is pre-filled at 7.750%, which covers the whole City of San Diego. Cross into Chula Vista or National City and it rises to 8.750%, so the delivery address matters more here than the county name does.
CDTFA ratesEffective July 1, 2026Free to Use
CA SALES TAX
The Big City Is the Cheap One
San Diego is an inversion of the usual pattern. In most California metros the central city has stacked on district taxes and the outlying towns sit at the county floor. Here it runs the other way: the City of San Diego has no city district tax and charges the 7.750% county baseline, while the ring of cities around it has voted in its own.
Chula Vista, National City and Escondido are at 8.750%. Oceanside, El Cajon and Vista are at 8.250%. La Mesa is at 8.500%. Carlsbad is the only nearby city that matches San Diego at 7.750%.
On a $2,000 purchase the gap between San Diego and Chula Vista is $20. Small, but it runs the opposite direction to what most shoppers assume.
CA SALES TAX
What the 7.750% Is Made Of
California's statewide base is 7.250%. San Diego County adds a single 0.500% countywide district tax on top, which produces the 7.750% figure that applies in the city and in unincorporated county territory alike.
Because the city levies nothing of its own, the San Diego rate only moves if the countywide tax changes. The surrounding cities can and do move independently.
NEARBY RATES
How San Diego Compares Nearby
Almost everything around San Diego is more expensive. The published rates:
| City | Sales tax rate | vs San Diego |
|---|---|---|
| San Diego | 7.75% | — |
| Chula Vista | 8.75% | +1% |
| Oceanside | 8.25% | +0.5% |
| Escondido | 8.75% | +1% |
| Carlsbad | 7.75% | same |
| El Cajon | 8.25% | +0.5% |
| La Mesa | 8.5% | +0.75% |
| National City | 8.75% | +1% |
| Vista | 8.25% | +0.5% |
TAXABLE OR NOT
What San Diego Sales Tax Applies To
California sets what is taxable, so the rules are the same in San Diego as in the pricier cities next door. Only the rate differs.
- Unprepared groceries are exempt
- Restaurant meals and hot prepared food are taxable at 7.750%
- Prescription medicines are exempt; most over-the-counter medicines are not
- Services are outside the scope of California sales tax
- A vehicle is taxed at the buyer's registration address, so a San Diego dealer may have to charge a suburban rate
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
San Diego Sales Tax Questions
What is the sales tax rate in San Diego?+
The City of San Diego charges 7.750%: California's 7.250% statewide base plus a 0.500% San Diego County district tax. The city adds nothing of its own.
Is sales tax higher in San Diego or Chula Vista?+
Chula Vista, at 8.750%, is a full point higher than the City of San Diego's 7.750%. National City and Escondido match Chula Vista. Carlsbad is the main nearby city that shares San Diego's rate.
How much is sales tax on $100 in San Diego?+
$7.75, for a total of $107.75. The same purchase in Chula Vista carries $8.75.
Does the San Diego rate apply across the whole county?+
7.750% is the baseline for unincorporated San Diego County and for the City of San Diego, but many incorporated cities in the county have added district taxes and charge more. The rate follows the delivery city.
What rate applies to an order shipped to San Diego?+
7.750%, because California taxes at the delivery address rather than the seller's location. An order sent to a Chula Vista address is taxed at 8.750% instead.
Is food taxed in San Diego?+
Groceries bought to prepare at home are exempt. Restaurant meals, hot prepared food and most takeaway are taxable at the full 7.750%.
RATE SOURCE
Where These Rates Come From
San Diego's 7.750% is the CDTFA's published city rate. Since the city carries no district tax of its own, watch the county figure rather than the city one — but the neighbouring cities in the table above each move on their own schedule. California City and County Sales and Use Tax Rates, effective July 1, 2026.
Disclaimer: A planning estimate. Several San Diego County cities charge more than the city itself, so confirm the delivery address with the CDTFA before relying on this for a return.
Reviewed by: Paycheck Calculator Editorial Team
Rate table effective: July 1, 2026
OTHER RATES