on $100k a year, leaving Washington

change
San Francisco, CA cityscape

swapping out of washington

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

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$861

pricier each month than Washington

San Francisco costs noticeably more than Washington. 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

34% more expensive than Washington(vs $2,352/mo)

02state income tax

9.3%

$67/mo more in state tax than Washington

vs 8.5% in Washington

03after rent

$4,412/mo

$861 less than Washington

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

04a house here

$1239k

98% more expensive than Washington

vs $626k in Washington

05metro size

4.6M

vs 6.3M in Washington

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

312

pleasant days a year, in san francisco.

Washington only manages 177 of those.

A month here packs 1.6× the events of Washington.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

83/100

5% lower than Washington

vs 87/100 in Washington

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

·walk score®

99/100

1% higher than Washington

vs 98/100 in Washington

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

111

31% fewer than Washington

vs 160 nonstops in Washington

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