New York City vs San Francisco
Salary equivalence calculator
Price-level ratio 0.965. Adjust to recalculate.
| Metric | New York City | San Francisco | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price level index (NYC=100) | 100.0 | 96.5 | -3.5% |
| Rent index (NYC=100) | 100.0 | 104.2 | +4.2% |
| Equivalent of $120,000 | $120,000 | $115,800 | cheaper |
- San Francisco is about 4% cheaper than New York City, so the same lifestyle costs less.
How far does your salary go in San Francisco?
Moving from New York City to San Francisco changes your cost of living in ways a currency conversion can't capture. What matters is purchasing power: how much the same basket of housing, food, transport and services costs in each place. On our index, where New York City = 100, New York City sits at 100.0 and San Francisco at 96.5.
That makes San Francisco roughly 4% cheaper. A salary of $120,000 in New York City translates to about $115,800 in San Francisco. Above that and you gain in real terms; below it and you take an effective pay cut.
Housing drives the gap
Rent is the largest and most variable line in most budgets. San Francisco's rent index is 104.2 versus New York City's 100.0.
Common mistakes
- Converting currency instead of purchasing power.
- Ignoring taxes, which vary by jurisdiction.
- Forgetting one-off relocation costs.
Bottom line
San Francisco is about 4% cheaper than New York City, so the same lifestyle costs less. Use the calculator to plug in your real salary and compare against any concrete offer.
Rent equivalence: New York City vs San Francisco
Based on the rent-index ratio of 1.042 (New York City 100.0 vs San Francisco 104.2, NYC = 100).
Housing is usually the biggest single difference between two cities, and it moves independently of the overall price level. Renting the equivalent home in San Francisco costs about 4% more than in New York City. Enter your actual rent above to see what a like-for-like place would cost after you move — a more honest gauge of affordability than a raw salary conversion, since renters and owners feel very different impacts.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need in San Francisco to match New York City?
To keep the same standard of living as $120,000 in New York City, you would need roughly $115,800 in San Francisco, a price-level ratio of 0.97.
Is San Francisco more expensive than New York City?
No, it is about 4% cheaper overall.
How much is rent in San Francisco compared to New York City?
Rent in San Francisco is about 4% higher than in New York City (rent indices 100.0 vs 104.2, NYC = 100). Use the rent calculator on this page for your exact figure.
How is the equivalent salary calculated?
We multiply your salary by the ratio of the two cities' composite price-level indices (housing, food, transport, services), benchmarked so New York City = 100.
Methodology
We build a composite price-level index for each city from official regional price parities and international purchasing-power parities across housing, food, transport and services, normalized so New York City = 100. The equivalent salary is your salary multiplied by the ratio of the destination index to the origin index. It estimates the income needed to hold real purchasing power constant and does not model taxes.