Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to San Diego?

Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with San Diego-specific defaults.

Moving into San Diego from another Tier 1 market means re-baselining occupancy economics in USD, re-running headcount density against local norms, and translating lease terminology to local conventions.

Re-baseline occupancy in USD (then USD for comparison).
Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

San Diego relocation guide

TL;DR

Re-baseline occupancy in USD (then USD for comparison).
Local lease conventions differ — translate terms via the Lease Term Translator.
Density assumptions vary materially by region; revalidate.
Build local counsel and broker relationships before the LOI, not after.

Re-baseline economics

Headline San Diego rent is 56 USD/sqft/yr ($56 USD). Translate your incumbent occupancy cost-per-seat to the same basis using the Occupancy Cost tool. Most cross-border moves underestimate fit-out">fit-out timeline and overestimate density transferability.

Translate the contract

Modified-gross structures with opex pass-throughs. 10-12 year terms common for life sciences. Free rent of 10-14 months and TI of $100-$160/sqft typical on a 10-year Class A deal; lab fitouts run materially higher. Use the Lease Term Translator to map terminology before reading the LOI.

Build the local stack

Engage a tenant-rep broker, local counsel, an MEP/AV designer with San Diego project history, and a project manager who has run a Class A fit-out in this market in the last 24 months.

Key facts

city	San Diego
country	United States
region	Americas
classARentLocal	56 USD/sqft/yr
classARentUsd	$56/sqft/yr
vacancy	18.4%
typicalLeaseYears	10
typicalRentFreeMonths	12
submarkets	5
primeYieldPct	6.4%

Frequently asked questions

Can I keep the same density assumption when moving to San Diego?: Not without revalidation. Local density norms differ; loss factors differ; meeting-room intensity expectations differ. Re-run the Office Space Calculator with San Diego-specific defaults.

Editorial provenance

Reviewed by Miriam Hollander — Lead market analyst. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.

Primary sources for this page

CBRE Marketview reports — CBRE
JLL Office Insight — JLL
Cushman & Wakefield Marketbeat — Cushman & Wakefield
Savills World Research — Savills
Colliers Global Office Outlook — Colliers

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