Cost of Living: Pasadena, CA vs San Francisco, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Pasadena, CA versus $3,974/mo in San Francisco, CA. In the model, rent is about 32.31% of gross in Pasadena, CA versus 35.25% in San Francisco, CA, so Pasadena, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Pasadena, CA and San Francisco, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Pasadena, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Pasadena, CA
- Lower home prices: Pasadena, CA
- Higher median household income: San Francisco, CA
Cost of Living Index
Pasadena, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · San Francisco, CA: 225.8 (U.S. = 100)
Pasadena, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Francisco, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Pasadena, CA: $2,107/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Francisco, CA: $2,298/mo
Median rent in San Francisco, CA is $191/mo higher than in Pasadena, CA.
Median Home Price
Pasadena, CA: $1,045,000 · San Francisco, CA: $1,380,500
Median home price in San Francisco, CA is $335,500 higher than in Pasadena, CA.
Median Household Income
Pasadena, CA: $103,778 · San Francisco, CA: $141,446
San Francisco, CA has a higher median household income than Pasadena, CA by $37,668.
Pasadena, CA overview · San Francisco, CA overview · Popular comparisons