Question 1

Is Detroit or San Francisco cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, MI is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $2,830/month less than in San Francisco, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $1,411/mo in Detroit versus $3,604/mo in San Francisco.

Question 2

What salary do you need in Detroit vs San Francisco?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $78,000/year before tax in Detroit, MI and $143,000/year in San Francisco, CA — a difference of about $65,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is Detroit or San Francisco cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Detroit, the same answer as for a single person. A four-person household runs about $7,360/month in Detroit and $12,433/month in San Francisco, with rent scaled to household size using each city's own bedroom spread.

Question 4

Should I move to Detroit or San Francisco?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Detroit costs less month to month, but cost is one of six factors — jobs, safety, climate, housing and amenities all differ too. Compare them against your own income and priorities rather than a single ranking.

Metric	Detroit59	San Francisco54
Est. monthly cost (single)	$4,049	$6,879
Est. monthly cost (household of 4)	$7,360	$12,433
Salary for comfort	$78,000/yr	$143,000/yr
Typical rent	$1,411	$3,604
Median home value	$76,800	$1,380,500
Median household income	$39,575	$141,446
Unemployment	10.7%	3.3%
Housing score	62	15
Jobs score	37	65
Safety score	18	62
Climate score	87	100
Amenities score	82	85
Population	636.6K	836.3K
Summer high / winter low	83° / 20°	67° / 46°

Detroit, MI vs San Francisco, CA