same $100k income, fresh start from Portland

change
San Francisco, CA cityscape

from portland

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

$1,411

pricier each month than Portland

San Francisco costs noticeably more than Portland. You'd be paying for San Francisco itself, not for breathing room around it.
landable, recorded on the san francisco entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$3,146/mo

77% more expensive than Portland(vs $1,781/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$46/mo more in state tax than Portland

vs 8.75% in Portland

03after rent

$4,412/mo

$1,411 less than Portland

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

04a house here

$1239k

120% more expensive than Portland

vs $562k in Portland

05metro size

4.6M

vs 2.5M in Portland

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

312

pleasant days a year, in san francisco.

Portland only manages 178 of those.

A month here packs 2.1× the events of Portland.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

83/100

5% lower than Portland

vs 87/100 in Portland

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

·walk score®

99/100

1% lower than Portland

vs 100/100 in Portland

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

111

95% more than Portland

vs 57 nonstops in Portland

04 · see also

if san francisco appeals, also worth a look:

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