Cost of living in San Francisco

In San Francisco, United States, living costs about $3781 per month for one person and $8717 for a family of four, including rent.

How expensive is San Francisco compared to other cities?

Compared to the European benchmark, San Francisco is 165% more expensive overall.

How does San Francisco compare to your city?

San Francisco is 17% cheaper than New York City, without rent.

Rent in San Francisco is, on average, 1% lower than in New York City.

What drives the cost of living in San Francisco?

Who is San Francisco a good fit for?

San Francisco tends to fit higher-income residents who can comfortably absorb housing costs. It can be challenging on a moderate budget, mainly due to rent and utilities.

FAQ

Why is San Francisco so expensive?

The high cost of living in San Francisco is largely driven by rent and utilities, which significantly exceed the average in many other cities.

Is food expensive in San Francisco?

Yes, food costs are 69% higher than the European benchmark, making dining out and grocery shopping more costly.

Is public transport affordable in San Francisco?

Public transport is 142% higher than the European benchmark, which can strain budgets for daily commuting.

Cost of living breakdown

Cost of Living, one person, including rent
3781 $
Without Rent
1181 $
Rent & Utilities
2600 $
Food
806 $
Transport
181 $
Monthly Salary, after tax
7795 $
GDP per Capita
81,695 $
Freedom Index
8.39
Lifespan
77 years
Speak English
96%
Population
874.0K

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Update Prices

Restaurants

Lunch menu, inexpensive restaurant 22.5 $
Dinner 103 $
Fast food, McDonalds or KFC 12.3 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 8.68 $
Capuccino 5.68 $
Coke, 330ml 2.79 $

Compare San Francisco with:

Markets

Milk, 1 L or 1 qt 1.66 $
Bread, 0.5 kg or 1 lb 4.31 $
Rice, 1 kg or 2 lb 5.8 $
Eggs, 12 pack 6.2 $
Cheese, 1 kg or 2 lb 23 $
Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2 lb 15 $
Round Steak, 1 kg or 2 lb 22.5 $
Apples, 1 kg or 2 lb 6.37 $
Banana, 1 kg or 2 lb 3.31 $
Oranges, 1 kg or 2 lb 5.7 $
Tomato, 1 kg or 2 lb 7 $
Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 3.91 $
Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb 3.18 $
Water, 1 L or 1 qt 1.68 $
Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz 3.7 $
Wine, 750 mL bottle 18.1 $
Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz 3.33 $
Cigarette pack 13.6 $

Transportation

One-way Ticket 2.6 $
Monthly Pass 96.5 $
Gas or Petrol, 1l or 0.26 gal 1.35 $
Taxi, 8 km 20.9 $

Personal Care

Doctor Visit, private clinic 132 $
Cold medicine, for 1 week 10.5 $
Hair Shampoo, 400 ml or 12 oz. 7.97 $
Toilet paper, 4 rolls 5.38 $
Toothpaste, 1 tube 2.89 $

Utilities per Month

1 person, electricity, heating, water & garbage 138 $
Family of 4, electricity, heating, water & garbage 211 $
Internet plan, +60 Mbps 61.5 $

Rent per Month

1 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 40 sq.m 2,324 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, outside of center, 85 sq.m 4,030 $
1 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 40 sq.m 2,707 $
3 Bedroom Apartment, in city center, 85 sq.m 5,024 $

Buy Apartment Price

Price per Square Meter to Buy Apartment, in city center 11,577 $
Price per Square Meter to Buy House, in suburbs 11,019 $

Salaries and Financing

Average Monthly Net Salary, after tax 7,795 $
Mortgage Interest Rate, for 20 years fixed-rate 6.62%

Sports and Leisure

Fitness Club, Monthly Fee for 1 Adult 91.5 $
Cinema, 1 seat 17.1 $
Haircut 23.8 $

Clothing and Shoes

Brand Sneakers, mid-range, Nike or similar 107 $
Brand Jeans, Levis 501 63.2 $

Childcare

Preschool, full day, monthly for 1 child 2,916 $
International Primary School, yearly for 1 child 31,050 $

Compare San Francisco with other top cities

Cayman Islands
San Francisco vs George Town (George Town is 4% less expensive)
Bahamas
San Francisco vs Nassau (Nassau is 27% less expensive) San Francisco vs Freeport (Freeport is 42% less expensive)
Vanuatu
San Francisco vs Port Vila (Port Vila is 38% less expensive) San Francisco vs Luganville (Luganville is 19% less expensive)
United States
San Francisco vs New York City (New York City is 7% more expensive) San Francisco vs Los Angeles (Los Angeles is 16% less expensive) San Francisco vs Chicago (Chicago is 29% less expensive) San Francisco vs Houston (Houston is 41% less expensive) San Francisco vs Phoenix (Phoenix is 37% less expensive) San Francisco vs Philadelphia (Philadelphia is 33% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Antonio (San Antonio is 42% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Diego (San Diego is 12% less expensive) San Francisco vs Dallas (Dallas is 33% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Jose (San Jose is 3% less expensive)
Canada
San Francisco vs Toronto (Toronto is 32% less expensive) San Francisco vs Montreal (Montreal is 48% less expensive) San Francisco vs Calgary (Calgary is 43% less expensive) San Francisco vs Ottawa (Ottawa is 41% less expensive) San Francisco vs Edmonton (Edmonton is 53% less expensive) San Francisco vs Winnipeg (Winnipeg is 54% less expensive) San Francisco vs Mississauga (Mississauga is 35% less expensive) San Francisco vs Vancouver (Vancouver is 30% less expensive) San Francisco vs Brampton (Brampton is 44% less expensive) San Francisco vs Hamilton (Hamilton is 43% less expensive)
Barbados
San Francisco vs Bridgetown (Bridgetown is 64% less expensive) San Francisco vs Holetown (Holetown is 63% less expensive)
Panama
San Francisco vs Panama City (Panama City is 63% less expensive) San Francisco vs Colon (Colon is 69% less expensive) San Francisco vs Tocumen (Tocumen is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santiago de Veraguas (Santiago de Veraguas is 72% less expensive) San Francisco vs David (David is 78% less expensive) San Francisco vs La Chorrera (La Chorrera is 75% less expensive) San Francisco vs Balboa (Balboa is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Pacora (Pacora is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Chitre (Chitre is 71% less expensive) San Francisco vs Penonome (Penonome is 71% less expensive)
Saint Kitts And Nevis
San Francisco vs Basseterre (Basseterre is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Cayon (Cayon is 67% less expensive)
Cuba
San Francisco vs Havana (Havana is 73% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santiago de Cuba (Santiago de Cuba is 63% less expensive) San Francisco vs Holguin (Holguin is 66% less expensive) San Francisco vs Camaguey (Camaguey is 60% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santa Clara (Santa Clara is 72% less expensive) San Francisco vs Bayamo (Bayamo is 69% less expensive) San Francisco vs Guantanamo (Guantanamo is 59% less expensive) San Francisco vs Las Tunas (Las Tunas is 59% less expensive) San Francisco vs Pinar del Rio (Pinar del Rio is 71% less expensive) San Francisco vs Cienfuegos (Cienfuegos is 77% less expensive)
Costa Rica
San Francisco vs San Jose (San Jose is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Limon (Limon is 68% less expensive) San Francisco vs Liberia (Liberia is 76% less expensive) San Francisco vs Alajuela (Alajuela is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Puntarenas (Puntarenas is 66% less expensive) San Francisco vs Cartago (Cartago is 75% less expensive) San Francisco vs Heredia (Heredia is 67% less expensive) San Francisco vs Tamarindo (Tamarindo is 55% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santa Teresa (Santa Teresa is 65% less expensive)
Saint Lucia
San Francisco vs Castries (Castries is 69% less expensive) San Francisco vs Vieux Fort (Vieux Fort is 68% less expensive)
Jamaica
San Francisco vs Kingston (Kingston is 65% less expensive) San Francisco vs Spanish Town (Spanish Town is 79% less expensive) San Francisco vs Montego Bay (Montego Bay is 73% less expensive) San Francisco vs Half Way Tree (Half Way Tree is 69% less expensive) San Francisco vs May Pen (May Pen is 78% less expensive) San Francisco vs Mandeville (Mandeville is 74% less expensive) San Francisco vs Old Harbour (Old Harbour is 78% less expensive) San Francisco vs Linstead (Linstead is 72% less expensive) San Francisco vs Savanna-la-Mar (Savanna-la-Mar is 70% less expensive) San Francisco vs Port Antonio (Port Antonio is 70% less expensive)
El Salvador
San Francisco vs San Salvador (San Salvador is 68% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santa Ana (Santa Ana is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs Soyapango (Soyapango is 69% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Miguel (San Miguel is 71% less expensive) San Francisco vs Mejicanos (Mejicanos is 69% less expensive) San Francisco vs Apopa (Apopa is 70% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santa Tecla (Santa Tecla is 68% less expensive) San Francisco vs Ahuachapan (Ahuachapan is 62% less expensive) San Francisco vs Usulutan (Usulutan is 71% less expensive) San Francisco vs Sonsonate (Sonsonate is 77% less expensive)
Antigua And Barbuda
San Francisco vs St. John's (St. John's is 71% less expensive) San Francisco vs All Saints (All Saints is 71% less expensive)
Grenada
San Francisco vs St. George's (St. George's is 72% less expensive) San Francisco vs Grenville (Grenville is 72% less expensive)
Dominica
San Francisco vs Roseau (Roseau is 73% less expensive) San Francisco vs Portsmouth (Portsmouth is 70% less expensive)
Saint Vincent
San Francisco vs Kingstown (Kingstown is 74% less expensive) San Francisco vs Georgetown (Georgetown is 73% less expensive)
Belize
San Francisco vs Belize City (Belize City is 77% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Ignacio (San Ignacio is 71% less expensive) San Francisco vs Belmopan (Belmopan is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Pedro Town (San Pedro Town is 65% less expensive) San Francisco vs Caye Caulker (Caye Caulker is 58% less expensive)
Guatemala
San Francisco vs Guatemala City (Guatemala City is 73% less expensive) San Francisco vs Mixco (Mixco is 83% less expensive) San Francisco vs Coban (Coban is 76% less expensive) San Francisco vs Quetzaltenango (Quetzaltenango is 79% less expensive) San Francisco vs Jalapa (Jalapa is 76% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Miguel Petapa (San Miguel Petapa is 76% less expensive) San Francisco vs Momostenango (Momostenango is 77% less expensive) San Francisco vs Mazatenango (Mazatenango is 77% less expensive) San Francisco vs Flores (Flores is 77% less expensive) San Francisco vs Panajachel (Panajachel is 79% less expensive)
Honduras
San Francisco vs Tegucigalpa (Tegucigalpa is 78% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Pedro Sula (San Pedro Sula is 73% less expensive) San Francisco vs Choloma (Choloma is 84% less expensive) San Francisco vs La Ceiba (La Ceiba is 83% less expensive) San Francisco vs El Progreso (El Progreso is 77% less expensive) San Francisco vs Villanueva (Villanueva is 77% less expensive) San Francisco vs Comayagua (Comayagua is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs Puerto Cortes (Puerto Cortes is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs Yoro (Yoro is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs La Lima (La Lima is 77% less expensive)
Dominican Republic
San Francisco vs Santiago de los Caballeros (Santiago de los Caballeros is 79% less expensive) San Francisco vs Santo Domingo (Santo Domingo is 72% less expensive) San Francisco vs Puerto Plata (Puerto Plata is 80% less expensive) San Francisco vs Higuey (Higuey is 80% less expensive) San Francisco vs La Vega (La Vega is 85% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Cristobal (San Cristobal is 78% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Pedro de Macoris (San Pedro de Macoris is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Francisco de Macoris (San Francisco de Macoris is 86% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Juan de la Maguana (San Juan de la Maguana is 83% less expensive) San Francisco vs Bonao (Bonao is 86% less expensive)
Nicaragua
San Francisco vs Managua (Managua is 80% less expensive) San Francisco vs Leon (Leon is 83% less expensive) San Francisco vs Masaya (Masaya is 81% less expensive) San Francisco vs Matagalpa (Matagalpa is 85% less expensive) San Francisco vs Chinandega (Chinandega is 83% less expensive) San Francisco vs Esteli (Esteli is 84% less expensive) San Francisco vs Granada (Granada is 82% less expensive) San Francisco vs Jinotega (Jinotega is 88% less expensive) San Francisco vs Juigalpa (Juigalpa is 82% less expensive) San Francisco vs San Juan del Sur (San Juan del Sur is 76% less expensive)