Cooks, Restaurant Salary in San Diego, CA
Cooks, Restaurant in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $46,440 a year — 24% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $38,044 take-home, or $3,170 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median cooks, restaurant salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,393
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,879
- Medicare (1.45%)$673
- California income tax$847
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$604
- Take-home pay$38,044
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Cooks, Restaurant pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,840 | $18.19 | $31,590 | $2,632 |
| 25th percentile | $40,330 | $19.39 | $33,458 | $2,788 |
| Median (50th) | $46,440 | $22.33 | $38,044 | $3,170 |
| 75th percentile | $47,560 | $22.87 | $38,873 | $3,239 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $51,820 | $24.91 | $41,985 | $3,499 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $46,440 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median cooks, restaurant's $38,044 take-home pay has the buying power of $34,002 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Cooks, Restaurant jobs are about as common in San Diego, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.12).
Best-paying cities for cooks, restaurant, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #16 of 101 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Spokane, WA | $44,230 | $37,719 | $37,589 |
| 2 | Portland, ME | $46,560 | $37,630 | $36,943 |
| 3 | Seattle, WA | $47,730 | $40,531 | $36,471 |
| 4 | San Jose, CA | $47,170 | $38,588 | $34,946 |
| 5 | Worcester, MA | $44,250 | $35,742 | $34,863 |
| 6 | Denver, CO | $44,370 | $36,587 | $34,588 |
| 7 | Omaha, NE | $37,840 | $31,742 | $34,536 |
| 8 | Atlantic City, NJ | $40,250 | $33,830 | $34,221 |
| 16 | San Diego, CA | $46,440 | $38,044 | $34,002 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 101 metros →
About the job: cooks, restaurant
Prepare, season, and cook dishes such as soups, meats, vegetables, or desserts in restaurants. May order supplies, keep records and accounts, price items on menu, or plan menu.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- Less than 5 years
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +12.1% (much faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Cooks, Restaurant salaries elsewhere in California
- San Jose, CA — $47,170
- Sacramento, CA — $44,230
- Riverside, CA — $42,450
- San Francisco, CA — $46,030
- Los Angeles, CA — $44,460
- Oxnard, CA — $42,060
- Fresno, CA — $38,260
Frequently asked questions
How much does a cooks, restaurant make in San Diego, CA?
The median cooks, restaurant salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $46,440 a year, or about $22.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $40,330 and $47,560.
What is a cooks, restaurant’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $46,440 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $38,044 a year ($3,170 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,451 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a cooks, restaurant?
Pay here is 24% above the national median of $37,390. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $34,002 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #16 of 101 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a cooks, restaurant afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 78% of a median cooks, restaurant’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Chef and Head Cook — $60,600
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria — $47,100
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $46,980
- Cooks, Fast Food — $42,450
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $42,190
- Food Preparation Worker — $38,780
- Dishwasher — $38,530
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant — $38,260
- Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other — $36,330
- Bartender — $36,260
- Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop — $36,140
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendant and Bartender Helper — $35,960