San Francisco, CA Cost of Living (2026)

San Francisco's cost of living index sits at 164, meaning everyday expenses run about 64% above the US average. Housing is the main driver: the housing index is 285, so a two-bedroom apartment that would cost $1,500 a month in an average city costs closer to $4,275 here. Even with a median household income around $136,000, many residents spend well over 40% of their gross pay on rent or a mortgage.

If you're relocating from a city at the national average, a $100,000 salary there buys roughly $61,000 worth of lifestyle in San Francisco. That gap is large enough to affect decisions about retirement savings, childcare, and whether owning property is realistic at all. Groceries and transportation also run above average, though the bigger shocks come at the housing line.

One specific thing worth knowing: San Francisco's rent control covers older buildings but exempts most units built after 1979, which includes a large share of newer stock. That means tenants in newer buildings face market-rate increases without the protections many assume exist. Buyers face a median home price that has hovered above $1.2 million for most of the past decade. The monthly cost of owning a median-priced home with a standard down payment typically exceeds $6,000.

The city's high wages do exist in certain sectors, particularly tech, finance, and healthcare, but those wages are not evenly distributed. Workers in retail, food service, and care industries often earn $60,000 to $80,000 while facing the same housing market. Anyone doing salary planning here should start with the actual rent or mortgage number and work backward, rather than relying on the median income figure.