Assisted Living in San Diego, CA

Two kinds of assisted living in San Diego

Both are licensed by California as assisted living. Larger communities suit people who want social life and on-site services; small homes suit people who do better with quiet, familiar routines, including many people with dementia. California words these licenses as “Residential Care Elderly” (177), “Rcfe-Continuing Care Retirement Community” (4).

All 181 licensed assisted living communities in San Diego

Every assisted living community California licenses in San Diego, from state records. Being listed is not a rating: Lilisity scores only communities with verified interviews (the Top Communities). Communities with verified testimonials are listed first, then by size.

181 shown

Independent living in San Diego

Also in San Diego: 9 independent living, life plan and 55+ communities in San Diego and 43 income-restricted senior apartment buildings. 2 of them come from public records; independent living is usually not licensed by the state.

How much does assisted living cost in San Diego?

The median cost of assisted living in California is $7,000 a month ($84,000 a year), above the national median of $6,200. That’s CareScout’s 2025 survey, collected July to November 2025. 3 San Diego communities publish a starting price on Lilisity, from $2,995 to $5,900 a month. If more care is needed: nursing home costs in California, with CareScout medians and the private-pay rates nursing homes publish. Small residential homes often cost less than larger communities, though care needs, room type and services move the price more than the building does.

Medicare does not pay for assisted living. People pay from savings and income, long-term care insurance, or VA Aid and Attendance (up to $29,093 a year for a veteran in 2026), and some qualify for Medicaid help with care costs at communities that accept it. Who actually pays for long-term care.

Free tools: how long will the money last? · home care or assisted living? · VA Aid and Attendance estimator

Three questions to ask on every San Diego tour

From about 23,000 concerns residents and families raised in Senior Living Alliance phone interviews, the most common are about dining, housekeeping and hearing back from management.

1. Can I come back and eat a meal here, unannounced?Dining was 23% of all concerns: quality that changes day to day.
2. How is laundry labeled and tracked, and what happens when something goes missing?Housekeeping was 17%.
3. Who is my main contact, and how often will I hear from them?Communication with management was 15%.

All 8 tour questions, with a free printable tour card (PDF).

Check a San Diego community’s license

California publishes licensing records, and in most cases inspection or complaint reports, for every community on this page. Look up any community on the state’s site: ccld.dss.ca.gov. Ask the community for its most recent inspection report too; they have to keep it.

Assisted Living near San Diego