Cost of Living in San Francisco, California
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in San Francisco, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 826,079
- Median household income
- $139,801
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 115.6
- Unemployment rate
- 5.8%
Is San Francisco a good place to live?
San Francisco is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 162 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better.
A typical worker in San Francisco keeps $282 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living16% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$2,976 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,729 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in San Francisco
Prices in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area run 16% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 95% above the US average.
- Housing95% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)8% above the US average
- Utilities73% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)6% above the US average
- All items16% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $2,976 | $35,712 |
| Food | $535 | $6,420 |
| Transportation | $423 | $5,076 |
| Healthcare | $374 | $4,488 |
| Utilities | $449 | $5,388 |
| Total before taxes | $4,757 | $57,084 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | San Francisco | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $2,524 | $2,574 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,976 | $3,003 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,640 | $3,697 |
| 3 bedrooms | $4,716 | $4,832 |
| 4 bedrooms | $5,197 | $5,439 |
Living in San Francisco
How San Francisco compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | San Francisco | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $139,801 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $1,314,700 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $2,448 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 63.3% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.8% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 11.3% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 60.9% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 40.5 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 32.2 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 21.4% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 25% | 3.7% |
Home internet
8 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of San Francisco, led by Xfinity, Unwired Ltd, T-Mobile, Etheric Networks. Fiber reaches 44% of homes and 73.6% can get gigabit speeds. Compare providers in San Francisco
Pros and cons of living in San Francisco
Pros
- Usable public transit. 25% of commuters take public transit, against 3.7% nationally.
- Higher incomes. Median household income is $139,801, against $81,604 nationally.
- Highly educated workforce. 60.9% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher, against 36.9% nationally.
- Remote-work friendly. 21.4% of workers work from home, against 13.3% nationally.
Cons
- Expensive rent. Median rent is $2,448 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Pricey homes to buy. The median home is worth $1,314,700, against $360,600 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 16% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
- Paychecks don't stretch far. A typical worker keeps $282 a year, less than in 162 of 178 large cities.
What your job keeps in San Francisco
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $74,260
- Federal income tax
- −$7,507
- Payroll taxes
- −$6,646
- State income tax
- −$2,729
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$35,712
- Everyday costs
- −$21,384
a year, or $24 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $212,500 | $82,742 |
| Software engineer | $186,640 | $66,316 |
| Registered nurse | $186,610 | $66,298 |
| Project manager | $135,040 | $36,385 |
| Accountant | $110,730 | $22,125 |
| Teacher | $99,553 | $15,446 |
| Carpenter | $89,200 | $9,261 |
| Truck driver | $66,450 | −$4,491 |
| Medical assistant | $59,790 | −$9,289 |
| Nursing assistant | $56,080 | −$11,999 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in San Francisco on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $1,362
- Civil engineer $33,568
- Data scientist $56,638
- Dental assistant −$5,955
- Dental hygienist $43,154
- Dentist $76,160
- Diesel mechanic $5,018
- Electrician $11,429
- Financial analyst $33,774
- Firefighter $23,899
- HVAC technician $2,861
- Licensed practical nurse $12,314
- Lineman $37,621
- Mechanical engineer $51,590
- Nurse practitioner $86,794
- Occupational therapist $37,384
- Paralegal $6,171
- Paramedic $5,609
- Pharmacist $60,854
- Pharmacy technician −$8,733
- Physical therapist $40,393
- Physician assistant $64,879
- Plumber $2,492
- Police officer $34,630
- Radiologic technologist $40,278
- Respiratory therapist $33,601
- Social worker $5,021
- Speech-language pathologist $33,966
- Veterinarian $79,955
- Welder −$6,004
Compare San Francisco with other cities
Compare San Francisco with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to San Francisco
5 licensed interstate movers are based in San Francisco, and 43 more elsewhere in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is San Francisco, CA a good place to live?
San Francisco is one of the pricier places for a typical paycheck: a typical worker keeps less here than in 162 of 178 other large cities. Higher earners do better. The typical worker here earns $74,260 and keeps $282 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in San Francisco?
Prices in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area are 16% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $2,976 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,782 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in San Francisco?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $73,800 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA area earns $74,260.
What is the average rent in San Francisco?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $2,524 for a studio, $2,976 for a 1-bedroom and $3,640 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in San Francisco at $2,448 a month (2024).
Does San Francisco have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $74,260, California state income tax comes to about $2,729 a year. San Francisco has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve San Francisco?
8 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of San Francisco, led by Xfinity, Unwired Ltd, T-Mobile, Etheric Networks. 44% of homes can get fiber and 73.6% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate