on $100k a year, leaving San Francisco
changea dispatch from
fort collins
CO
40.59°N
105.08°W
Fort Collins is the home of New Belgium Brewing (Fat Tire's origin) and a thriving craft beer scene with more breweries than Boulder. Old Town's brick streets and historic storefronts are charming enough that they're said to have influenced Disney's Main Street USA designers. CSU keeps the energy young. The foothills rise right outside town, and Rocky Mountain National Park is an hour away. Quieter than Boulder, less expensive.
the verdict
under San Francisco, every month
In Fort Collins, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
a quick ledger.
$1,971/mo
37% cheaper than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)
4.4%
$408/mo less in state tax than San Francisco
vs 9.3% in San Francisco
$5,996/mo
$1,584 more than San Francisco
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$572k
54% cheaper than San Francisco
vs $1239k in San Francisco
371k
vs 4.6M in San Francisco
field notes, weather & such.
177
pleasant days a year, in fort collins.
San Francisco gets 312 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Winter asks for something in return: 44 days under 20° here, 0 in San Francisco.
Noticeably quieter than San Francisco. About 100% fewer events on a typical month.
69/100
17% lower than San Francisco
vs 83/100 in San Francisco
Closest outdoor draw: Rocky Mountain National Park, 31.3 mi.
86/100
13% lower than San Francisco
vs 99/100 in San Francisco
169
52% more than San Francisco
vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco
in the same ballpark as fort collins:
