Cost of Living: San Marcos, 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 San Marcos, CA versus $3,974/mo in San Francisco, CA. In the model, rent is about 31.92% of gross in San Marcos, CA versus 35.25% in San Francisco, CA, so San Marcos, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between San Marcos, CA and San Francisco, CA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): San Marcos, CA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): San Marcos, CA
- Lower home prices: San Marcos, CA
- Higher median household income: San Francisco, CA
Cost of Living Index
San Marcos, CA: 100 (U.S. = 100) · San Francisco, CA: 225.8 (U.S. = 100)
San Marcos, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than San Francisco, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
San Marcos, CA: $2,082/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · San Francisco, CA: $2,298/mo
Median rent in San Francisco, CA is $216/mo higher than in San Marcos, CA.
Median Home Price
San Marcos, CA: $792,400 · San Francisco, CA: $1,380,500
Median home price in San Francisco, CA is $588,100 higher than in San Marcos, CA.
Median Household Income
San Marcos, CA: $105,286 · San Francisco, CA: $141,446
San Francisco, CA has a higher median household income than San Marcos, CA by $36,160.
San Marcos, CA overview · San Francisco, CA overview · Popular comparisons