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 247, which is 2.5x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to California, San Francisco has a cost of living index that's 1.7x higher than California's index of 142.
The standard of living in San Francisco ranks as #585 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies San Francisco ranks as the #49 most expensive place in the Golden State.
For more reading on life in San Francisco, check out:
San Francisco Cost Of Living Vs. California
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in San Francisco. Here is how it fares on each of the criteria:
The Services index in San Francisco is 122.
The Groceries index in San Francisco is 125.
The Health index in San Francisco is 518.
The Housing index in San Francisco is 132.
The Transportation index in San Francisco is 128.
The Utilities index in San Francisco is 139.
| Living Expense | San Francisco | California | National Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 247 | 142 | 100 |
| Services | 122 | 110 | 100 |
| Groceries | 125 | 118 | 100 |
| Health | 518 | 197 | 100 |
| Housing | 132 | 120 | 100 |
| Transportation | 128 | 121 | 100 |
| Utilities | 139 | 121 | 100 |
San Francisco Cost Of Living Compared To California Averages
Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Protect your home budget Compare home warranties in San Francisco Get matched →Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 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 2020-2024. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in San Francisco is $1,356,661.
The Median Rent in San Francisco is $2,476.
The Median Income in San Francisco is $140,970.
The Home Value To Income in San Francisco is 9.6x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in San Francisco is 0.21x.
| Statistic | San Francisco | California | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $1,356,661 | $774,581 | $332,700 |
| Median Rent | $2,476 | $2,036 | $1,413 |
| Median Income | $140,970 | $99,122 | $80,734 |
| Home Value To Income | 9.6x | 7.8x | 4.1x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.21x | 0.25x | 0.21x |
San Francisco, CA Costs By Category
Detailed San Francisco Services costs vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.65 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $16.02 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.01 | $18 |
| Haircut | $28.38 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $85.43 | $45.56 |
Detailed San Francisco Groceries costs vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.23 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $2.11 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $5.18 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $4.98 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $15.74 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $11.21 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $4.09 | $3.7 |
Detailed San Francisco Health costs vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $159.79 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $174.45 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $155.36 | $113.29 |
Detailed San Francisco Transportation costs vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $4.63 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $75.33 | $59.92 |
Detailed San Francisco Utilities costs vs. California
| Item | San Francisco | California |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $298.77 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.63 | $192.25 |
San Francisco SnackAbility
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 250, 1.0x San Francisco.
San Bruno, CA has a cost of living index of 214, 0.9x San Francisco.
San Carlos, CA has a cost of living index of 311, 1.3x San Francisco.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. San Francisco |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Mateo, CA | 103,105 | 250 | 1.0x |
| San Bruno, CA | 42,307 | 214 | 0.9x |
| San Carlos, CA | 29,614 | 311 | 1.3x |
| San Lorenzo, CA | 29,171 | 170 | 0.7x |
| Belmont, CA | 27,337 | 286 | 1.2x |
| Millbrae, CA | 22,689 | 288 | 1.2x |
| North Fair Oaks, CA | 13,100 | 221 | 0.9x |
| Tamalpais-Homestead Valley, CA | 12,085 | 265 | 1.1x |
| Piedmont, CA | 10,945 | 349 | 1.4x |
| Lucas Valley-Marinwood, CA | 6,473 | 229 | 0.9x |
