San Francisco, CA Cost Of Living
Cost Of Living In San Francisco, CA Summary
Cost of living in San Francisco research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means San Francisco is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in San Francisco is 203, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in San Francisco is 2.0x higher than the national average.
San Francisco ranks as the #576 cheapest in California out of 635.
San Francisco ranks as the #6,317 cheapest out of 6,412 in the US.
The median home value in San Francisco is $1,194,500.
The median income in San Francisco is $126,187.
Table Of Contents
San Francisco's Overall Cost Of Living
Higher Than The National Average
What is the cost of living in San Francisco, CA?
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, San Francisco has an overall cost of living index of 203, which is 2.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Francisco has a cost of living index that's 1.5x higher than California's index of 139.
The standard of living in San Francisco ranks as #576 most affordable out of the 635 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Francisco ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Francisco, check out:
- Living In San Francisco
- San Francisco Crime Report
- Search Homes For Sale In San Francisco, CA
In California
In America
San Francisco Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Francisco. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Francisco is 128.
The Groceries index in San Francisco is 132.
The Health index in San Francisco is 126.
The Housing index in San Francisco is 377.
The Transportation index in San Francisco is 150.
The Utilities index in San Francisco is 138.
| Living Expense | San Francisco | California | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 203 | 139 | 100 | |
| Services | 128 | 110 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 132 | 112 | 100 | |
| Health | 126 | 109 | 100 | |
| Housing | 377 | 204 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 150 | 126 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 138 | 124 | 100 | |
San Francisco, CA Housing Cost Breakdown
Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2017-2021. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in San Francisco is $1,194,500.
The Median Rent in San Francisco is $2,130.
The Median Income in San Francisco is $126,187.
The Home Value To Income in San Francisco is 9.5x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Francisco is 0.2x.
| Statistic | San Francisco | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,194,500 | $573,200 | $244,900 |
| Median Rent | $2,130 | $1,698 | $1,163 |
| Median Income | $126,187 | $84,097 | $69,021 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.5x | 6.8x | 3.5x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.24x | 0.2x |
Median Home Value
Median Rent
Median Income
San Francisco, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Francisco Services Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.35 | $1.06 |
| Movie | $16.41 | $10.68 |
| Bowling | $20.0 | $14.67 |
| Haircut | $22.38 | $18.62 |
| Beauty Salon | $82.05 | $39.05 |
Detailed San Francisco Groceries Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $3.64 | $4.22 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.8 | $1.39 |
| Milk | $2.83 | $2.05 |
| Potatoes | $3.42 | $3.29 |
| Pizza | $13.47 | $10.62 |
| Beer | $10.5 | $9.38 |
| Toothpaste | $3.18 | $2.34 |
Detailed San Francisco Health Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $144.57 | $108.57 |
| Doctor | $149.63 | $116.17 |
| Dentist | $132.68 | $99.13 |
Detailed San Francisco Transportation Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.46 | $2.22 |
| Tire Balancing | $65.51 | $50.07 |
Detailed San Francisco Utilities Costs Vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $267.84 | $167.67 |
| Phone | $198.18 | $175.64 |
San Francisco SnackAbility
/10
Cost Of Living In Cities Around San Francisco
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around San Francisco. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
San Mateo, CA has a cost of living index of 205, 1.0x San Francisco.
San Bruno, CA has a cost of living index of 184, 0.9x San Francisco.
San Carlos, CA has a cost of living index of 237, 1.2x San Francisco.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo, CA | 105,087 | 205 | 1.0x |
| San Bruno, CA | 43,775 | 184 | 0.9x |
| San Carlos, CA | 30,754 | 237 | 1.2x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 30,420 | 151 | 0.7x |
| Belmont, CA | 28,109 | 231 | 1.1x |
| Millbrae, CA | 23,083 | 229 | 1.1x |
| North Fair Oaks, CA | 14,360 | 179 | 0.9x |
| Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA | 12,535 | 234 | 1.2x |
| Piedmont, CA | 11,368 | 291 | 1.4x |
| Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA | 6,546 | 207 | 1.0x |
