Cost of Living in San Francisco, CA
San Francisco, CA scores 179 on the cost-of-living index — about 79% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #3 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: San Francisco vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in San Francisco to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in San Francisco, CA, you would need about $104,469 in New York City, NY — roughly 4.5% more.
| Category | San Francisco | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 179 | 187 | +4% |
| Housing | 270 | 287 | +6% |
| Groceries | 133 | 137 | +3% |
| Utilities | 152 | 130 | −14% |
| Transportation | 141 | 120 | −15% |
| Healthcare | 125 | 128 | +2% |
San Francisco cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 179 | +79% |
| Housing | 270 | +170% |
| Groceries | 133 | +33% |
| Utilities | 152 | +52% |
| Transportation | 141 | +41% |
| Healthcare | 125 | +25% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is San Francisco expensive to live in?
San Francisco, CA has a cost-of-living index of 179, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 79% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #3 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 270.
What is the cost-of-living index for San Francisco?
The overall index is 179 (US average = 100). By category: housing 270, groceries 133, utilities 152, transportation 141 and healthcare 125. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in San Francisco?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in San Francisco to keep the same standard of living.
How is the San Francisco cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in San Francisco?
In San Francisco, healthcare is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 125), while housing is the priciest (index 270).