Question 1

Is San Francisco or Seattle cheaper to live in?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, WA is cheaper. Estimated essentials for a single person run about $1,074/month less than in San Francisco, covering rent plus everyday costs. Typical rent is $3,604/mo in San Francisco versus $2,501/mo in Seattle.

Question 2

What salary do you need in San Francisco vs Seattle?

Accepted Answer

Living comfortably takes roughly $118,000/year before tax in San Francisco, CA and $86,000/year in Seattle, WA — a difference of about $32,000. Both figures are after state and local income taxes are accounted for.

Question 3

Is San Francisco or Seattle cheaper for a family?

Accepted Answer

Seattle, the same answer as for a single person. Two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child run about $15,429/month in San Francisco and $12,749/month in Seattle, including county-median childcare.

Question 4

Should I move to San Francisco or Seattle?

Accepted Answer

It depends on what you weight. Seattle 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	San Francisco58	Seattle59
Est. monthly cost (single)	$5,865	$4,791
Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare)	$15,429	$12,749
Salary for comfort	$118,000/yr	$86,000/yr
Typical rent	$3,604	$2,501
Median home value	$1,380,500	$912,100
Median household income	$141,446	$121,984
Unemployment	3.7%	4.7%
Housing score	12	34
Jobs score	69	35
Safety score	62	40
Climate score	100	92
Amenities score	85	90
Population	836.3K	741.4K
Summer high / winter low	67° / 46°	76° / 37°

San Francisco, CA vs Seattle, WA