2026 BAH · SAN DIEGO, CA (CA038)
Naval Base San Diego BAH Rates 2026
The full 2026 Basic Allowance for Housing table for Naval Base San Diego, by pay grade — with and without dependents. Rates are verified from the official DTMO lookup, effective 2026-01-01.
| Pay grade | With dependents | Without dependents |
|---|---|---|
| E-1 | $3,666 | $2,763 |
| E-2 | $3,666 | $2,763 |
| E-3 | $3,666 | $2,763 |
| E-4 | $3,666 | $2,763 |
| E-5 | $3,975 | $3,147 |
| E-6 | $4,404 | $3,387 |
| E-7 | $4,446 | $3,678 |
| E-8 | $4,488 | $4,065 |
| E-9 | $4,671 | $4,188 |
| W-1 | $4,425 | $3,564 |
| W-2 | $4,464 | $4,062 |
| W-3 | $4,521 | $4,206 |
| W-4 | $4,731 | $4,410 |
| W-5 | $4,992 | $4,455 |
| O-1E | $4,449 | $3,972 |
| O-2E | $4,506 | $4,161 |
| O-3E | $4,770 | $4,398 |
| O-1 | $4,032 | $3,351 |
| O-2 | $4,401 | $3,873 |
| O-3 | $4,518 | $4,248 |
| O-4 | $5,082 | $4,440 |
| O-5 | $5,493 | $4,458 |
| O-6 | $5,541 | $4,494 |
| O-7 | $5,586 | $4,575 |
| O-8 | $5,586 | $4,575 |
| O-9 | $5,586 | $4,575 |
| O-10 | $5,586 | $4,575 |
Monthly rates in USD. O-8 through O-10 receive the O-7 rate (the DTMO table caps at O-7). Source: DTMO 2026 BAH Rate Lookup (defensetravel.dod.mil). We transcribe these rates verbatim — we never estimate or round.
Questions about Naval Base San Diego BAH
- What is BAH, and how does it work at Naval Base San Diego?
- Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) is a tax-free monthly stipend that helps offset the cost of housing when you live off base. Your rate is set by your Military Housing Area (MHA), your pay grade, and whether you have dependents — not by your actual rent. Naval Base San Diego falls in the SAN DIEGO, CA MHA (CA038).
- How is my Naval Base San Diego BAH rate determined?
- Three things: your MHA (the SAN DIEGO, CA area for Naval Base San Diego), your pay grade, and your dependency status (with or without dependents). Look up your exact grade in the table above. Rates are the same for everyone in the MHA at a given grade — they don't change based on your specific address or landlord.
- Does Naval Base San Diego have its own BAH rate?
- Naval Base San Diego uses the SAN DIEGO, CA MHA (CA038) rate. BAH is set per MHA, not per installation, so the table above is your rate for this base.
- What's the difference between "with dependents" and "without dependents"?
- If you have eligible dependents (a spouse and/or children), you receive the higher "with dependents" rate regardless of how many. Single service members with no dependents receive the "without dependents" rate. The difference can be several hundred dollars a month.
- When do 2026 BAH rates change?
- BAH rates update once a year. New rates publish in mid-December and take effect January 1 (2026-01-01 for the 2026 rates shown here). If you PCS mid-year, your rate is set by the MHA you move to, effective your report date.