San Diego, CA vs San Francisco, CA: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, San Francisco, CA is 3.3% more expensive than San Diego, CA (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in San Diego works out to about $77,500 in San Francisco, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is housing, which costs 8.6% more in San Francisco. Goods are 0.5% higher and other services 6.6% higher.
- Typical asking rent is $3,445 a month in San Francisco and $2,967 in San Diego, $5,736 a year more in San Francisco (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $1,120,000 in San Francisco and $927,000 in San Diego.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when San Francisco was 5.5% more expensive than San Diego.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Housing drives the gap: 8.6% higher in San Francisco than in San Diego
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
All items San Diego, CA: 111.9 San Francisco, CA: 115.6
Goods San Diego, CA: 108.0 San Francisco, CA: 108.5
Housing (rents) San Diego, CA: 179.3 San Francisco, CA: 194.7
Utilities San Diego, CA: 174.2 San Francisco, CA: 172.6
Other services San Diego, CA: 99.6 San Francisco, CA: 106.2
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 111.9 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 108.0 | 108.5 |
| Housing (rents) | 179.3 | 194.7 |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 172.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 106.2 |
| Category | San Diego | San Francisco | San Francisco vs San Diego |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 111.9 | 115.6 | +3.3% |
| Goods | 108.0 | 108.5 | +0.5% |
| Housing (rents) | 179.3 | 194.7 | +8.6% |
| Utilities | 174.2 | 172.6 | −1.0% |
| Other services | 99.6 | 106.2 | +6.6% |
| Typical asking rent | $2,967 | $3,445 | +16.1% |
| Typical home value | $927,000 | $1,120,000 | +20.9% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in San Diego | $75,000 | $77,500 | +3.3% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between San Diego and San Francisco has narrowed since 2008: 5.3 points then, 3.7 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
US average = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 113.7 | 119.1 |
| 2009 | 114.6 | 115.2 |
| 2010 | 112.8 | 113.9 |
| 2011 | 114.1 | 112.4 |
| 2012 | 112.9 | 112.5 |
| 2013 | 111.7 | 112.9 |
| 2014 | 110.9 | 114.0 |
| 2015 | 112.3 | 115.8 |
| 2016 | 113.6 | 116.4 |
| 2017 | 112.3 | 121.6 |
| 2018 | 112.6 | 122.3 |
| 2019 | 113.5 | 119.7 |
| 2020 | 115.1 | 119.6 |
| 2021 | 115.1 | 120.0 |
| 2022 | 114.6 | 118.0 |
| 2023 | 110.7 | 117.6 |
| 2024 | 111.9 | 115.6 |
Goods
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 109.8 | 117.8 |
| 2009 | 109.1 | 110.0 |
| 2010 | 107.0 | 107.0 |
| 2011 | 108.1 | 105.5 |
| 2012 | 105.0 | 108.0 |
| 2013 | 100.6 | 109.9 |
| 2014 | 101.1 | 108.8 |
| 2015 | 103.7 | 111.4 |
| 2016 | 97.9 | 111.2 |
| 2017 | 99.2 | 114.0 |
| 2018 | 99.2 | 116.2 |
| 2019 | 104.0 | 113.8 |
| 2020 | 106.8 | 113.0 |
| 2021 | 107.2 | 113.8 |
| 2022 | 108.0 | 114.4 |
| 2023 | 102.2 | 115.2 |
| 2024 | 108.0 | 108.5 |
Housing (rents)
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 179.4 | 191.0 |
| 2009 | 178.4 | 192.1 |
| 2010 | 180.8 | 189.2 |
| 2011 | 175.1 | 191.9 |
| 2012 | 173.2 | 189.0 |
| 2013 | 175.1 | 190.7 |
| 2014 | 182.6 | 198.1 |
| 2015 | 178.4 | 204.5 |
| 2016 | 179.5 | 210.4 |
| 2017 | 184.3 | 215.2 |
| 2018 | 186.1 | 219.7 |
| 2019 | 185.2 | 213.0 |
| 2020 | 184.7 | 227.1 |
| 2021 | 190.0 | 213.5 |
| 2022 | 183.9 | 206.3 |
| 2023 | 185.8 | 200.1 |
| 2024 | 179.3 | 194.7 |
Utilities
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 124.0 | 115.6 |
| 2009 | 143.7 | 115.7 |
| 2010 | 138.4 | 118.5 |
| 2011 | 134.5 | 113.2 |
| 2012 | 142.1 | 110.3 |
| 2013 | 147.1 | 130.1 |
| 2014 | 142.7 | 135.1 |
| 2015 | 144.9 | 142.5 |
| 2016 | 150.2 | 145.5 |
| 2017 | 152.3 | 152.4 |
| 2018 | 156.0 | 158.4 |
| 2019 | 157.2 | 162.8 |
| 2020 | 163.4 | 161.3 |
| 2021 | 166.3 | 167.0 |
| 2022 | 166.2 | 170.4 |
| 2023 | 158.3 | 162.2 |
| 2024 | 174.2 | 172.6 |
Other services
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
US = 100
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 100.7 | 107.0 |
| 2009 | 101.6 | 104.0 |
| 2010 | 99.9 | 104.1 |
| 2011 | 102.6 | 102.7 |
| 2012 | 103.1 | 102.2 |
| 2013 | 103.2 | 101.6 |
| 2014 | 101.0 | 103.2 |
| 2015 | 102.3 | 104.3 |
| 2016 | 108.1 | 104.9 |
| 2017 | 104.4 | 111.0 |
| 2018 | 104.5 | 110.8 |
| 2019 | 103.4 | 108.6 |
| 2020 | 103.2 | 105.2 |
| 2021 | 103.4 | 108.2 |
| 2022 | 103.0 | 105.9 |
| 2023 | 99.9 | 105.4 |
| 2024 | 99.6 | 106.2 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $3,445 in San Francisco vs $2,967 in San Diego
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $1,634 | $2,247 | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $1,657 | $2,348 | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $1,691 | $2,413 | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $1,698 | $2,413 | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $1,721 | $2,448 | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $1,758 | $2,505 | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $1,780 | $2,507 | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $1,785 | $2,467 | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $1,825 | $2,518 | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $1,871 | $2,570 | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $1,889 | $2,597 | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $1,891 | $2,583 | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $1,926 | $2,614 | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $1,965 | $2,663 | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $1,987 | $2,687 | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $1,983 | $2,675 | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $2,001 | $2,703 | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $2,036 | $2,742 | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $2,056 | $2,761 | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $2,059 | $2,744 | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $2,073 | $2,768 | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $2,059 | $2,732 | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $2,093 | $2,618 | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $2,128 | $2,520 | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $2,165 | $2,549 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $2,265 | $2,647 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $2,415 | $2,739 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $2,481 | $2,732 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $2,556 | $2,797 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $2,684 | $2,863 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $2,742 | $2,887 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $2,709 | $2,830 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $2,740 | $2,859 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $2,817 | $2,874 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $2,836 | $2,878 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $2,784 | $2,831 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $2,801 | $2,869 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $2,851 | $2,913 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $2,861 | $2,926 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $2,849 | $2,915 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $2,875 | $2,975 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $2,900 | $3,041 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $2,904 | $3,082 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $2,884 | $3,084 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $2,915 | $3,161 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $2,949 | $3,291 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $2,967 | $3,445 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $1,120,000 in San Francisco vs $927,000 in San Diego
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $464K | $669K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $472K | $693K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $480K | $715K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $493K | $739K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $505K | $765K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $509K | $770K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $514K | $765K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $526K | $774K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $537K | $794K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $546K | $809K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $555K | $821K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $568K | $848K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $577K | $881K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $583K | $905K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $587K | $912K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $589K | $914K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $589K | $905K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $592K | $901K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $593K | $906K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $600K | $912K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $612K | $926K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $619K | $926K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $628K | $934K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $661K | $972K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $694K | $1.01M | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $739K | $1.06M | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $762K | $1.09M | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $778K | $1.11M | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $842K | $1.18M | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $895K | $1.22M | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $874K | $1.16M | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $847K | $1.11M | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $833K | $1.07M | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $852K | $1.08M | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $887K | $1.1M | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $906K | $1.1M | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $921K | $1.1M | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $944K | $1.13M | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $945K | $1.13M | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $945K | $1.13M | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $942K | $1.12M | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $929K | $1.1M | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $920K | $1.09M | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $923K | $1.1M | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $925K | $1.1M | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $924K | $1.11M | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $927K | $1.12M | $366K |
More about each city
- Cost of living in San Diego, CA
- Cost of living in San Francisco, CA
- Reverse: moving from San Francisco to San Diego
Related comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.