Cost of Living Comparison Between New York, NY and San Francisco, CA 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in San Francisco, CA is 2.7% lower than in New York, NY (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in San Francisco, CA is 11.2% lower than in New York, NY | |
| Rent Prices in San Francisco, CA are 21.3% lower than in New York, NY | |
| Restaurant Prices in San Francisco, CA are 2.2% higher than in New York, NY | |
| Groceries Prices in San Francisco, CA are 6.5% higher than in New York, NY | |
| Local Purchasing Power in San Francisco, CA is 58.6% higher than in New York, NY | |
Restaurants | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 $ | 25.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 140.00 $ | 145.00 $ | +3.6 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 14.00 $ | 15.00 $ | +7.1 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 10.00 $ | 9.00 $ | -10.0 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.75 $ | 5.68 $ | -1.2 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 2.85 $ | 3.31 $ | +16.0 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.50 $ | 2.88 $ | +15.2 % |
Markets | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.30 $ | 1.58 $ | +22.1 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 4.26 $ | 4.77 $ | +12.1 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 3.46 $ | 2.93 $ | -15.3 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 6.88 $ | 6.60 $ | -4.0 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 7.75 $ | 10.14 $ | +30.8 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 6.72 $ | 6.45 $ | -3.9 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 9.04 $ | 10.81 $ | +19.6 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 2.95 $ | 3.19 $ | +8.4 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 1.10 $ | 1.38 $ | +25.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.55 $ | 2.46 $ | -3.6 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 2.72 $ | 3.54 $ | +30.1 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.43 $ | 1.79 $ | +25.4 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.57 $ | 2.15 $ | +36.9 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.93 $ | 3.23 $ | +10.5 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.49 $ | 2.99 $ | +20.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 18.00 $ | 18.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 3.56 $ | 3.06 $ | -14.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 4.28 $ | 3.77 $ | -12.0 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 19.00 $ | 14.00 $ | -26.3 % |
Transportation | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 $ | 3.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 134.00 $ | 87.00 $ | -35.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 3.00 $ | 4.15 $ | +38.3 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.50 $ | 3.27 $ | -6.7 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 42.00 $ | 39.00 $ | -7.1 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 0.88 $ | 1.28 $ | +44.8 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 35,458.00 $ | 36,998.00 $ | +4.3 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 25,768.64 $ | 26,147.70 $ | +1.5 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 194.25 $ | 229.15 $ | +18.0 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 65.68 $ | 66.71 $ | +1.6 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 66.83 $ | 68.50 $ | +2.5 % |
Sports And Leisure | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 110.38 $ | 115.57 $ | +4.7 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 68.00 $ | 21.88 $ | -67.8 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 22.00 $ | 18.00 $ | -18.2 % |
Childcare | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 3,388.54 $ | 3,105.72 $ | -8.3 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 58,729.88 $ | 42,000.00 $ | -28.5 % |
Clothing And Shoes | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 68.86 $ | 74.62 $ | +8.4 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 55.31 $ | 48.60 $ | -12.1 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 116.87 $ | 100.79 $ | -13.8 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 158.67 $ | 127.76 $ | -19.5 % |
Rent Per Month | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 4,440.11 $ | 3,351.02 $ | -24.5 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,739.42 $ | 2,782.61 $ | +1.6 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 8,853.95 $ | 5,732.73 $ | -35.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,918.42 $ | 4,629.33 $ | -5.9 % |
Buy Apartment Price | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 1,915.09 $ | 987.87 $ | -48.4 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 802.60 $ | 849.27 $ | +5.8 % |
Salaries And Financing | New York, NY Edit |
San Francisco, CA Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 5,237.24 $ | 7,377.74 $ | +40.9 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.67 | 6.48 | -2.9 % |
| Last update: | 13 February 2026 | 30 January 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 273 | 126 | |
Moving to New York, NY? Explore:
Moving to San Francisco, CA? Explore:
Cities near New York, NY: | Cost of Living in Jersey City, New Jersey | 4.58 miles |
| Cost of Living in East Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.01 miles |
| Cost of Living in Rutherford, New Jersey | 10.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in Newark, New Jersey | 11.63 miles |
| Cost of Living in Paterson, New Jersey | 17.95 miles |
| Cost of Living in Bergen County, New Jersey | 20.13 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hempstead, New York | 22.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in West Caldwell, New Jersey | 23.56 miles |
| Cost of Living in Woodbridge, New Jersey | 25.26 miles |
| Cost of Living in Glen Cove, New York | 30.15 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 |