San Francisco is about 6% less expensive than Washington overall - $100,000 in Washington is worth about $94,180 in San Francisco.
Housing costs separate San Francisco and Washington more than any other category. The median home in San Francisco runs $1,380,500 versus $724,600 in Washington, a 48% gap that matters whether you’re buying now or saving for a future purchase.
Renters see the same pattern. The typical apartment in San Francisco costs $2,419/month versus $1,900/month in Washington. But income matters too: the median household in San Francisco earns $141,446 and in Washington earns $106,287. That means rent swallows about 20.5% of median income in San Francisco and 21.5% in Washington.
Both cities are similarly sized metros - San Francisco has 836,321 people and Washington has 672,079. That means comparable access to jobs, airports, and cultural amenities without the extremes of a mega-city.
Monthly cost breakdown: San Francisco vs Washington
These estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by each city’s cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s actual median rent; ownership uses a 6.7%, 30-year mortgage with 10% down on the median home.
| Category | San Francisco (rent) | Washington (rent) | San Francisco (own) | Washington (own) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | $2,419 | $1,900 | $8,017 | $4,208 |
| Transportation | $2,235 | $1,582 | $2,235 | $1,582 |
| Food | $1,758 | $1,244 | $1,758 | $1,244 |
| Healthcare | $1,104 | $781 | $1,104 | $781 |
| Other | $3,925 | $2,778 | $3,925 | $2,778 |
| Total | $11,440 | $8,284 | $17,039 | $10,593 |
Scenario: who actually wins?
The Renter
If you rent a median apartment and keep other spending typical, your monthly nut in San Francisco is roughly $29,028 per year in rent alone - $6,228 more than in Washington. Add utilities, food, and transport and the annual gap widens. The crossover point: you need to earn about $94,180 in San Francisco to match $100,000 in Washington.
The First-Time Buyer
A 10% down payment on the median home costs $138,050 in San Francisco versus $72,460 in Washington. On a 30-year fixed mortgage at 6.7%, the monthly P&I difference is roughly $3,809. Over five years, that’s $228,548 in extra (or saved) housing costs.
The Remote Worker
If your salary is locked to a national scale regardless of location, Washington is the obvious win. A $120,000 remote salary in Washington has the purchasing power of about $127,416 in San Francisco. The catch: some employers use location-based pay bands, which can erase part of that advantage.
The Family of Four
With two median incomes, a household in San Francisco earns roughly $212,169 and in Washington earns $159,430. After housing, the next biggest budget line is usually childcare and education - costs that vary less by city than housing does. The family math usually comes down to: can you afford the home you want on local salaries? In San Francisco, that answer is harder.
San Francisco vs Washington: the numbers
| Metric | San Francisco | Washington | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost-of-living index (US=100) | 116 | 109 | -6% |
| Median rent | $2,419 | $1,900 | -21% |
| Median home value | $1,380,500 | $724,600 | -48% |
| Median household income | $141,446 | $106,287 | -25% |
Cost of living = BEA Regional Price Parities (US average = 100). Rent, home value, and income from the U.S. Census ACS. See our methodology.
What your salary is worth
A $100,000 salary in San Francisco has the same buying power as about $94,180 in Washington. Going the other way, $100,000 in Washington is like $106,180 in San Francisco.
Use the calculator below to compare any salary between San Francisco and Washington.
Job market snapshot: San Francisco vs Washington
Highest-paying roles with available data - median salary, not average, to avoid skew from senior outliers.
| Role | San Francisco | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Marketing Manager | $209,170 | $169,570 |
| Registered Nurse | $181,240 | - |
| Software Developer | - | $141,510 |
| Data Scientist | - | $135,080 |
| Mechanical Engineer | - | $116,470 |
| Web Developer | $141,980 | $108,070 |
Moving from San Francisco to Washington: a practical checklist
Before you pack, run the numbers on these five items:
- Total compensation, not just base salary. Factor in bonuses, stock, 401(k) match, and remote-work stipends.
- Housing math for your situation. Rent vs. buy changes the winner. Use our calculator above to model both.
- State income tax. San Francisco and Washington are in different states, so your take-home pay will shift even if your gross salary stays flat. See our paycheck calculator for the exact difference.
- Commute and transportation. Gas, insurance, and tolls vary by metro. Check whether your new commute is longer or shorter.
- Healthcare network coverage. If you have employer-sponsored insurance, confirm your preferred doctors and hospitals are in-network in Washington.
Run these through our cost-of-living calculator with your actual salary to get a personalized answer.