Moving from Boston to San Francisco
Your paycheck buys 8.6% less in San Francisco than in Boston; you'd need about $133,800 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in San Francisco: $133,800
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $133,800 in San Francisco, CA to match $120,000 in Boston, MA ($13,800 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Massachusetts and California state income tax; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Boston vs San Francisco: key facts
- Median rent
- $2,093 → $2,435/mo
- Median home value
- $681,100 → $1,132,900
- Median household income
- $117,825 → $135,590
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 108.3 → 115.6
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (93.2 → 99.4 of 100)
Boston vs San Francisco cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Boston, MA | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 108.3 | 115.6 |
| Median rent | $2,093 | $2,435 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $83,720 | $97,400 |
| Median home value | $681,100 | $1,132,900 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $4,321 | $6,854 |
| Income needed to buy | $185,178 | $293,723 |
| Median property tax | $6,913 | $8,777 |
| State income tax on $120,000 | $5,780 | $6,915 |
| Metro population | 5,025,517 | 4,648,486 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: Boston vs San Francisco
On a $120,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $69,570 a year in Boston and $77,417 in San Francisco if you rent: $7,847 more after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $96,304 and $130,439 ($34,135 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | BostonBefore | San FranciscoAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $120,000, single filer | $33,082 | $35,225 | +$2,143 |
| Electricity state average bill | $2,006 | $1,930 | -$76 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,326 | $1,225 | -$101 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,112 | $2,977 | +$865 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $5,928 | $6,840 | +$912 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $25,116 | $29,220 | +$4,104 |
| Total if you rent | $69,570 | $77,417 | +$7,847 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $43,282 | $71,992 | +$28,710 |
| Property tax median home | $6,913 | $8,777 | +$1,864 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,655 | $1,473 | -$182 |
| Total if you buy | $96,304 | $130,439 | +$34,135 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $26,343 a year in Boston and $22,628 in San Francisco (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Boston to San Francisco
About 1,656 households (2,045 people) moved from the Boston metro area to the San Francisco metro area in 2022–2023, making San Francisco the #9 destination for people leaving Boston among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,322 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $134,428.
Cost to move from Boston to San Francisco
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $1,890–$9,480 |
| Moving container | $2,830–$8,570 |
| Full-service movers | $4,440–$23,830 |
Shipping a car instead of driving
Car shipping: $1,690–$2,420
Shipping a sedan from Boston to San Francisco on an open carrier costs about $1,690–$2,420, typically 5–10 days in transit over about 3,150 miles.
Modeled from 32 published 2026 route prices (SGT Auto Transport 'Ship a Car to Another State' sample routes, SGT Auto Transport cost calculator sample routes) plus published Hawaii and Alaska rates. SUVs cost about 25% more and enclosed carriers about 35% more. Not a quote.
Natural hazard risk: Boston vs San Francisco
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Boston area among the highest (score 93.2) and the San Francisco area among the highest (score 99.4), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $206 vs $993 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is San Francisco cheaper than Boston?
Overall prices in the San Francisco area are 6.7% higher than in Boston (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,435 vs $2,093 a month, and the median home is $1,132,900 vs $681,100.
What salary do I need in San Francisco to match $100,000 in Boston?
About $110,200, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Massachusetts and California state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Boston to San Francisco?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 3,150 miles: roughly $1,890–$9,480 with a rental truck, $2,830–$8,570 with a container, or $4,440–$23,830 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Boston to San Francisco?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,656 households (2,045 people) moved from the Boston metro area to the San Francisco metro area, and 1,322 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Boston move
- Boston to Providence 9,092 households
- Boston to New York 8,431 households
- Boston to Worcester 7,548 households
- Boston to Manchester 5,234 households
- Boston to Portland, ME 2,659 households
- Boston to Washington, D.C. 2,324 households
- Boston to Miami 2,284 households
- Boston to Los Angeles 2,105 households