Compare / San Diego to San Francisco
San Diego, CA vs San Francisco, CA
Simple answer
You'd likely save $874 a month in San Diego.
This is the HUD 2-bedroom fair-market rent for October 2026 through September 2027. It is not your lease.
The largest cost gap in this pair is Fair Market Rent. The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gap is $874: San Francisco is higher at $3,697 versus $2,823.
California taxes wages at rates up to 13.30%. California taxes wages at rates up to 13.30%. Combined sales tax differs by 0.0 percentage points, higher in California. The effective property tax gap is 0.00 percentage points, higher in California.
Both metros are in California, so benefit eligibility in this tool does not change with the move. Rent and price levels still differ.
A $75,000 salary in San Diego lines up with about $77,498 in San Francisco on the 2024 all-items price parity. Census median gross rent and the commute figures are 2024. Fair Market Rents are fiscal year 2027.
San Diego
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $2,823
- HUD area
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA MSA
- Census median gross rent
- $2,336
- All-items price parity
- 111.9
- Goods price parity
- 108.0
- Utilities price parity
- 174.2
- Mean commute
- 26.1 min
- Median household income
- $109,132
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent
- $3,697
- HUD area
- San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area
- Census median gross rent
- $2,435
- All-items price parity
- 115.6
- Goods price parity
- 108.5
- Utilities price parity
- 172.6
- Mean commute
- 32.7 min
- Median household income
- $135,590
Equivalent salary
The first number keeps the same place in the national price level. The second also runs 2026 federal income tax, employee Social Security and Medicare, and a simplified state income tax. Groceries use the BEA goods price parity, not a grocery receipt.
$77,498
Salary in San Francisco that matches the 2024 all-items regional price parity.
$78,141
Gross salary in San Francisco whose after-tax pay buys the same basket, using price parities.
$98,220
Scales the salary by the ratio of HUD 2-bedroom Fair Market Rents. Rent is not the whole budget.
Taxes on the two sides of the move
| Tax | California | California |
|---|---|---|
| State income tax on wages | up to 13.30% | up to 13.30% |
| Combined sales tax, Jan 1, 2026 | 9.0% | 9.0% |
| Effective property tax, ACS 2024 median / median | 0.71% | 0.71% |
On a $400,000 home, the state median effective rate implies about $2,828 a year in California and $2,828 in California. That illustration is not a local bill. Childcare prices are not in the verified dataset for these metros.
Benefits if you land in California
San Diego and San Francisco are in California. The benefit rules in this tool are statewide, so the statuses match. Rent and prices still differ.
Food stamps (SNAP)
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
Medicaid and CHIP
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
WIC
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
School meals
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
LIHEAP
San DiegoMaybe
San FranciscoMaybe
Earned Income Tax Credit
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
Child Tax Credit
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
Marketplace premium tax credits
San DiegoUnlikely
San FranciscoUnlikely
Lifeline phone and internet
San DiegoLikely eligible
San FranciscoLikely eligible
SSI
San DiegoUnlikely
San FranciscoUnlikely
| Program | San Diego | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Food stamps (SNAP) | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Medicaid and CHIP | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| WIC | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| School meals | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| LIHEAP | Maybe | Maybe |
| Earned Income Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Child Tax Credit | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| Marketplace premium tax credits | Unlikely | Unlikely |
| Lifeline phone and internet | Likely eligible | Likely eligible |
| SSI | Unlikely | Unlikely |
Related comparisons
From San Diego
The eight largest 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent gaps from San Diego.
- San Diego and McAllen · rent gap $1,806
- San Diego and Wichita · rent gap $1,780
- San Diego and Little Rock · rent gap $1,702
- San Diego and Toledo · rent gap $1,678
- San Diego and El Paso · rent gap $1,677
- San Diego and Baton Rouge · rent gap $1,674
- San Diego and Columbia · rent gap $1,597
- San Diego and Tulsa · rent gap $1,594
Nearby metros
How the salary and tax math works · The reverse city order redirects to this address.