San Diego, California — Startup Costs
Opening a restaurant in San Diego typically costs $250,000–$650,000 (beer-and-wine); add $100,000–$200,000+ for a secondary-market Type 47 full-liquor license. Here is the full breakdown — lease deposits, equipment, build-out, permits, inventory, and pre-opening costs — with real dollar ranges based on San Diego market data.
| Cost item | Low | High | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lease deposit + first months' rent | $15,000 | $40,000 | 1,500 sqft at ~$31/sqft downtown; neighborhood corridors materially lower |
| Kitchen equipment | $45,000 | $90,000 | — |
| Build-out / tenant improvements | $60,000 | $180,000 | California construction and Title 24 energy code raise costs vs. Sun Belt metros |
| Liquor license (Type 41 beer/wine) | $1,135 | $6,000 | Type 47 full-liquor is $21,385 via state drawing or $100,000–$200,000+ secondary market |
| Initial inventory & smallwares | $9,000 | $16,000 | — |
| Permits, licenses & health inspection | $2,000 | $4,500 | — |
| Pre-opening labor & training | $9,000 | $18,000 | No tip credit means full-wage FOH training hours cost more here |
| Marketing & grand opening | $5,000 | $15,000 | — |
| Total estimated range | $146,135 | $369,500 | 4–6 months from lease signing. California ABC processing for a Type 41 runs 60–90 days; a Type 47 via the priority drawing can take longer. San Diego County health plan check adds 3–6 weeks. Build the no-tip-credit payroll into your pre-opening cash runway. |
4–6 months from lease signing. California ABC processing for a Type 41 runs 60–90 days; a Type 47 via the priority drawing can take longer. San Diego County health plan check adds 3–6 weeks. Build the no-tip-credit payroll into your pre-opening cash runway.
San Diego restaurant startup costs are in the middle range, with the primary differentiator being local commercial rent and wage levels. For comparison, see our national restaurant profit margin benchmarks and restaurant profit calculator.
Use our break-even calculator to model your startup costs and find out how long it takes to recover your investment.
Calculate break-even →Last updated: 2026-07-17. Data drawn from: