United States
A hilly, fog-kissed city famous for the Golden Gate Bridge, vibrant tech culture, and historic cable cars. Known for progressive values and outstanding food diversity.
#9 of 250
158% above average
Monthly cost, one adult
$ 3 736
Based on NYC = 100 index
San Francisco is the 9. most expensive of the 250 cities we track — a month here comes to $ 3 736 for one adult.
Most of that goes on housing, which runs 146% above the median city and adds $ 1 517 a month: 1br apartment (outside center) $ 2 559, 3br apartment (city center) $ 8 995. It is also pricier than usual for restaurants.
Cheaper here than almost anywhere else is clothing, 43% below the median: jeans (levis or similar) $ 55, summer dress (chain store) $ 38.
Percentages compare this city against the median of all tracked cities, category by category.
36 prices on this page come from live scrapers (14 sources, observed October 7, 2026 to October 13, 2026). They are free to reuse under CC BY 4.0: credit CostCompass and link this page.
CostCompass (2026). Cost of living in San Francisco, United States. Data as of 2026-10-14. https://costcompass.net/living/cities/san-francisco. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
| Item | Price (USD) | Observations | Last observed | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 2,558.50 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 3BR Apartment (City Center) | 8,995.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| 3BR Apartment (Outside Center) | 3,900.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Craigslist |
| Chicken Breast (1kg) | 9.20 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Pork (1kg) | 9.35 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Beef (1kg) | 15.78 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Deli Meat / Ham (1kg) | 9.71 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Milk (1 liter) | 1.12 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Yogurt (150g) | 1.05 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Cheese (1kg) | 13.19 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Butter (200g) | 1.77 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Eggs (12) | 2.27 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Bread (500g) | 2.01 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Pasta (500g) | 1.51 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Rice (1kg) | 2.45 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Potatoes (1kg) | 2.15 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | 4.36 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Lettuce (1 head) | 2.06 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Banana (1kg) | 1.44 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Oranges (1kg) | 3.77 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Flour (1kg) | 1.21 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Sugar (1kg) | 2.26 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Coffee (250g) | 5.13 / item | 1 | 2026-10-13 | BLS Average Prices |
| Monthly Transit Pass | 86.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| One-way Ticket | 2.85 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | City Transit Fares |
| Taxi Start | 4.15 / trip | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Taxi 1km | 2.02 / km | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Taxi Tariffs |
| Gasoline (1 liter) | 1.67 / liter | 1 | 2026-10-13 | EIA Weekly Retail Gasoline |
| Basic Utilities (85m2 Apt) | 125.24 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Official Electricity Tariffs |
| Mobile Plan (10GB+) | 35.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Anglo Telecom Operators |
| Internet (60 Mbps+) | 50.00 / month | 1 | 2026-10-13 | T-Mobile Home Internet |
| Fitness Club (Monthly) | 64.60 / month | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Americas Entertainment Chains, Gym Chains |
| Tennis Court Rent (1 Hour) | 12.00 / hour | 1 | 2026-10-13 | Tennis Court Hire Prices (Americas) |
| Cold Medicine (6 days) | 6.90 / item | 1 | 2026-10-07 | Global Local Pharmacies |
| Jeans (Levis or Similar) | 54.61 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo, H&M |
| Summer Dress (Chain Store) | 37.95 / item | 2 | 2026-10-13 | Uniqlo, H&M |
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Monthly average costs by category
$ 2 559
per month
$ 154
per month
$ 439
per month
$ 165
per month
$ 210
per month
$ 117
per month
$ 78
per month
$ 15
per month