HVAC ad costs and search demand in San Diego, CA
What an ad click costs here (what competitors pay Google per click) and how much demand there is, job by job. Each figure is measured by one named search term, and the term is printed beside it. No signup to look.
Click cost and demand retrieved September 24, 2026 · input costs to August 2026. How we source this
Across the 4 jobs here with 100+ searches a month and a click cost we show, the middle one's is 4% below the US average for the same term. Each job's own figure is in the table.
When the phone rings
Historical search demand by job in San Diego, CA. Each month is shown against this job's own average year, where 100 is average: a reading of 180 would mean that month runs 80% above the job's own average month. This is what has happened, not a forecast, and each card says how much history it rests on.
Demand crosses its average in October, peaks in December at 248 against an average year of 100, and bottoms out in February at 60. Based on 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026, but the volumes are small, so treat the shape as directional.
JanDec
n = 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
Demand crosses its average in May, peaks in June at 224 against an average year of 100, and bottoms out in January at 46. Based on 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
JanDec
n = 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
Demand peaks in April at 211 against an average year of 100, and bottoms out in February at 45. Based on 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
JanDec
n = 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
Demand crosses its average in April, peaks in August at 168 against an average year of 100, and bottoms out in January at 43. Based on 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
JanDec
n = 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
Demand crosses its average in March, peaks in July at 128 against an average year of 100, and bottoms out in January at 55. Based on 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
JanDec
n = 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
Demand crosses its average in November, peaks in May at 134 against an average year of 100, and bottoms out in October at 62. Based on 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
JanDec
n = 47 months, October 2022 to August 2026.
| Job | Ad click cost (Google CPC) | Monthly demand |
|---|---|---|
| Central AC installationmeasured as “ac installation” | $20.25-20% vs US | 320/mo |
| Furnace replacementmeasured as “furnace replacement” | n/aheld: no reliable figure | 30/mo |
| Heat pump installationmeasured as “heat pump installation” | n/aheld: out of line with national | 170/mo |
| AC repairmeasured as “ac repair” | $32.21-31% vs US | 1,300/mo |
| Furnace repairmeasured as “furnace repair” | n/aheld: no reliable figure | 390/mo |
| Water heater installationmeasured as “water heater installation” | $82.89+177% vs US | 210/mo |
| Air duct cleaningmeasured as “air duct cleaning” | $27.23+12% vs US | 210/mo |
Local technician pay
What HVAC techs earn in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA Metro Area, from US Department of Labor wage data (2025).
$36.00/hr median
Typical range $22.46 to $54.80 (10th to 90th percentile)
+23%
vs US median ($29.33/hr)
$74,880
annual median
Pay above the US median means tighter labor margins and a tougher hiring market here. The annual figure is the published annual median, not the hourly rate times 2,080. Source: US Department of Labor (CareerOneStop, OEWS).
Input cost watch
Wholesale price trends for the materials and fuel that hit HVAC margins, from US producer price data (national, not specific to San Diego, CA). Latest: August 2026.
Copper & brass mill shapes
BLS series WPU102502
Steel mill products
BLS series WPU1017
AC & refrigeration equipment
BLS series WPU1148
Nonferrous metals
BLS series WPU102
Diesel fuel
BLS series WPU057303
Up (red) means your input costs are rising, a cue to revisit pricing. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index (PPI). Values are index levels; the signal is the change. BLS marks the most recent months preliminary and revises them for up to four months.
What can you afford to pay per click?
Your numbers, not ours. Fill in all four and this works out the most you can pay for a lead and, from that, the most you can pay for a click in San Diego, CA. Nothing is assumed on your behalf. It runs in your browser: what you type is not sent to us or saved.
Most you can profitably pay per lead:
n/a
Which is, per click:
n/a
Enter all four numbers to see a result.
A rough guide, not advice. Max per lead = average job revenue x close rate x marketing budget percent. Max per click = that, divided by the clicks it takes you to get a lead. If you do not know your clicks-per-lead, we cannot work it out for you and will not guess: it is the number that decides the answer.
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