on $100k a year, leaving Detroit

change
San Francisco, CA cityscape

from detroit

San Francisco

ca · metro 4.6M

photo: Andrew Whitmore / unsplash

a dispatch from

san francisco

CA

37.77°N

122.42°W

San Francisco is hills, fog, Mission burritos the size of forearms, and pastel Victorians stacked like dominoes. Karl the Fog has his own Instagram, the cable cars are still mechanically pulled by cables running under the street, and the Pacific shows up at the end of every west-bound avenue. The food is wildly good, the views are theatrical, and yes, you'll get cardio just walking to the corner store.

metro4.6M

in our guides

#1

of 10

Most walkable cities in America

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities for live music and arts

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities for health and wellness

read the guide
#4

of 10

Most livable cities in America

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best places to move in 2026

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities for parks and green space

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for work-life balance

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities to escape the heat

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for a $100k salary

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities for outdoor athletes

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities with year-round outdoor weather

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities for cyclists

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities to live in California

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities for foodies

read the guide
#1

of 10

Best cities for dog owners

read the guide
#3

of 10

Best cities with mild winters

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,095

the monthly premium over Detroit

A real premium for San Francisco. Worth it only if the city itself is the whole point.
landable, recorded on the san francisco entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,146/mo

114% more expensive than Detroit(vs $1,472/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$421/mo more in state tax than Detroit

vs 4.25% in Detroit

03after rent

$4,412/mo

$2,095 less than Detroit

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$1239k

373% more expensive than Detroit

vs $262k in Detroit

05metro size

4.6M

vs 4.3M in Detroit

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

312

pleasant days a year, in san francisco.

Detroit only manages 160 of those.

2.9× the events of Detroit, and the calendar shows it.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

83/100

77% higher than Detroit

vs 47/100 in Detroit

Closest outdoor draw: Golden Gate National Recreation Area, 1.5 mi.

·walk score®

99/100

0% lower than Detroit

vs 99/100 in Detroit

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

111

18% fewer than Detroit

vs 135 nonstops in Detroit

04 · see also

same energy as san francisco, different zip code:

see also

san diego

$256/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

honolulu

$162/mo cheaper

turn the page

see also

los angeles

$247/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare san francisco with:

San DiegoHonoluluLos Angeles