Cost of Living: San Francisco, CA vs San Mateo, CA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in San Francisco, CA versus $3,974/mo in San Mateo, CA. In the model, rent is about 35.25% of gross in San Francisco, CA versus 44.86% in San Mateo, CA, so San Francisco, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Francisco, CA and San Mateo, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): San Mateo, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): San Francisco, CA
- Lower home prices: San Francisco, CA
- Higher median household income: San Mateo, CA
Cost of Living Index
San Francisco, CA: 225.8 (U.S. = 100) · San Mateo, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100)
San Mateo, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Francisco, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
San Francisco, CA: $2,298/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Mateo, CA: $2,925/mo
Median rent in San Mateo, CA is $627/mo higher than in San Francisco, CA.
Median Home Price
San Francisco, CA: $1,380,500 · San Mateo, CA: $1,563,200
Median home price in San Mateo, CA is $182,700 higher than in San Francisco, CA.
Median Household Income
San Francisco, CA: $141,446 · San Mateo, CA: $152,669
San Mateo, CA has a higher median household income than San Francisco, CA by $11,223.
San Francisco, CA overview · San Mateo, CA overview · Popular comparisons