Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and San Francisco, CA 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in San Francisco, CA is 6.4% higher than in Seattle, WA (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in San Francisco, CA is 16.7% higher than in Seattle, WA | |
| Rent Prices in San Francisco, CA are 35.1% higher than in Seattle, WA | |
| Restaurant Prices in San Francisco, CA are 13.5% higher than in Seattle, WA | |
| Groceries Prices in San Francisco, CA are 4.5% higher than in Seattle, WA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in San Francisco, CA is 2.9% higher than in Seattle, WA | |
Restaurants | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | $22.00 | $25.00 | +13.6 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | $100.00 | $130.00 | +30.0 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | $15.00 | $15.00 | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | $8.00 | $8.00 | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | $8.00 | $9.00 | +12.5 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | $6.22 | $5.94 | -4.6 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | $2.95 | $3.30 | +11.9 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | $2.61 | $2.81 | +7.5 % |
Markets | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | $1.23 | $1.65 | +33.8 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | $4.72 | $5.14 | +8.9 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | $2.82 | $2.87 | +1.5 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | $5.51 | $6.53 | +18.5 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | $9.67 | $9.34 | -3.4 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | $8.35 | $7.72 | -7.5 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | $10.34 | $11.04 | +6.8 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | $2.75 | $3.10 | +12.6 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | $0.87 | $1.36 | +56.7 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | $2.44 | $2.58 | +5.5 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | $3.01 | $3.48 | +15.5 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | $1.61 | $1.56 | -3.2 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | $1.52 | $1.90 | +25.0 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | $2.98 | $3.28 | +10.1 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | $2.60 | $3.00 | +15.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | $15.50 | $15.50 | +0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | $3.89 | $3.02 | -22.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | $5.10 | $3.45 | -32.4 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | $13.50 | $12.00 | -11.1 % |
Transportation | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | $3.00 | $3.00 | 0.0 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | $108.00 | $90.00 | -16.7 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | $2.60 | $4.15 | +59.6 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | $2.72 | $3.27 | +20.1 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | $30.00 | $39.00 | +30.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | $1.35 | $1.44 | +6.8 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | $36,318.00 | $36,998.00 | +1.9 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | $25,554.70 | $25,897.85 | +1.3 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | $296.90 | $226.94 | -23.6 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | $70.67 | $64.29 | -9.0 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | $82.00 | $72.88 | -11.1 % |
Sports And Leisure | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | $86.34 | $138.23 | +60.1 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | $35.00 | $22.86 | -34.7 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | $18.00 | $17.50 | -2.8 % |
Childcare | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | $3,011.27 | $2,966.26 | -1.5 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | $30,201.50 | $42,000.00 | +39.1 % |
Clothing And Shoes | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | $80.06 | $79.50 | -0.7 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | $56.10 | $50.67 | -9.7 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | $127.81 | $103.64 | -18.9 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | $163.00 | $130.40 | -20.0 % |
Rent Per Month | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | $2,469.69 | $3,643.33 | +47.5 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | $1,946.06 | $2,759.53 | +41.8 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | $4,752.94 | $5,958.57 | +25.4 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | $3,573.53 | $4,849.09 | +35.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | $742.94 | $994.72 | +33.9 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | $484.44 | $846.43 | +74.7 % |
Salaries And Financing | Seattle, WA Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | $6,556.29 | $7,873.21 | +20.1 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.29 | 6.17 | -1.9 % |
| Last update: | 8 June 2026 | 14 June 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 158 | 133 | |
Moving to Seattle, WA? Explore:
Moving to San Francisco, CA? Explore:
Cities near Seattle, WA: | Cost of Living in Tacoma, Washington | 35.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Olympia, Washington | 63.39 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bremerton, Washington | 66.37 miles |
| Cost of Living in Vancouver, Washington | 166.62 miles |
| Cost of Living in Portland, Oregon | 176.13 miles |
Cities near San Francisco, CA: | Cost of Living in Oakland, California | 10.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Piedmont, California | 12.31 miles |
| Cost of Living in Berkeley, California | 13.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in Alameda, California | 15.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Rafael, California | 18.32 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Mateo, California | 21.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Belmont, California | 24.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Walnut Creek, California | 24.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Redwood City, California | 26.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hayward, California | 26.70 miles |