Cost of living · United States

San Francisco Cost of Living

Monthly cost of living breakdown for San Francisco, United States

Cost Level: Very High

Housing

1BR Apartment — City Center $3,000–4,500/mo (center); $2,200–3,200/mo (outer)
USD Reference (Directly in USD)

Food & Dining

Budget Restaurant / Local Eatery $15–22 (quick meal); $70–130 (restaurant for 2)
Monthly Groceries $400–650/mo (groceries)

Transport

Monthly Transport Cost Transit pass ~$81/mo; Uber starts $8–12

Muni metro/bus + BART regional rail; Clipper card works on both. Ferries and cable cars are signatures. San Francisco International (SFO). Walkable and bike-friendly but hilly.

Monthly Budget Summary

Budget Lifestyle (single)
USD 3,000–5,000
Comfortable Lifestyle (single)
USD 5,000–8,000
Family Budget (2–3 people)
USD 10,000–18,000

Band-level illustration: these three totals come from this city's cost band (level 5 of 5), not from the expenses above — every city on the same band shows the same ranges.

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Important Note

Data above is approximate and indicative. Actual costs vary by location, personal lifestyle, and exchange rate fluctuations. Verify with local sources after arrival.

Source: Richbay editorial estimate (indicative, not guaranteed)

Estimate baseline: 2026-06-19

How we estimate
  • Coverage: the city and its immediate surrounding area.
  • Housing: public statistics and current listing ranges (1-bedroom, city-centre baseline).
  • Food & transport: supermarket / restaurant reference baskets and official operator fares.
  • Currency conversion uses a reference rate; any USD figures are computed at the rate shown.
  • Confidence: Medium — an editorial estimate, not a crowdsourced index.
  • Cost level is relative to Richbay’s global city set, not an absolute index.
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