City comparison
San Francisco, CA vs San Jose, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 4.7% higher than in San Jose, CA. Someone earning $100,000 in San Jose, CA would need about $104,700 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA and $2,982 in San Jose, CA.
- Both are in CA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $5,070 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $133,060 in either. A transfer from San Francisco, CA to San Jose, CA changes real buying power by +4.7%, purely from prices.
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (much pricier)
- San Jose, CA: price level 110.4 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 115.6 | 110.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,511 in San Jose | $104,700 in San Francisco |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,977/mo | $2,982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 48% | 48% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $74,260 | $84,050 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Francisco | San Jose |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 194.7 | 211.9 |
| Goods | 108.5 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 156.7 |
| Other services | 106.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 115.6 | 110.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Francisco, CA → San Jose, CA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
San Jose, CA → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
20 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from San Francisco, CA to San Jose, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA | Real change, San Francisco → San Jose |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $77,161 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $93,358 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $111,896 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $133,060 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $157,236 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Francisco, CA | San Jose, CA | San Jose pay in San Francisco dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $102,860 | $107,695 (+5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $186,640 | $213,110 | $223,126 (+19.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $110,730 | $121,700 | $127,420 (+15.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $186,610 | $216,740 | $226,927 (+21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.