Moving from Chicago to San Francisco
Your paycheck buys 11.5% less in San Francisco than in Chicago; you'd need about $104,600 to break even. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in San Francisco: $104,600
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $104,600 in San Francisco, CA to match $90,000 in Chicago, IL ($14,600 more), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Illinois and California state income tax; neither city levies a resident income tax.
Prices and housing cover the metro area; taxes use Illinois and California, their principal states. A metro can span several states; living in its other state can change the tax result.
Chicago vs San Francisco: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,469 → $2,435/mo
- Median home value
- $339,700 → $1,132,900
- Median household income
- $90,770 → $135,590
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 103.6 → 115.6
- FEMA county-score mean
- Very high county-score mean (97.1 → 99.4 of 100)
Chicago vs San Francisco cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Chicago, IL | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 103.6 | 115.6 |
| Median rent | $1,469 | $2,435 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $58,760 | $97,400 |
| Median home value | $339,700 | $1,132,900 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,506 | $7,031 |
| Income needed to buy | $107,402 | $301,317 |
| Median property tax | $6,461 | $8,777 |
| State income tax on $90,000 | $4,310 | $3,981 |
| Metro population | 9,406,924 | 4,648,486 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). The fixed tax rows above use an illustrative single-earner salary of $90,000, rounded from Chicago's median household income. Household income can include multiple earners; it is not a typical individual wage. Taxes use each metro's principal state. A metro can span several states; residence in its other state can change the tax result.
Your yearly budget: Chicago vs San Francisco
This fixed budget example uses $90,000, single filing and residence inside the principal city tax areas. It does not change with the calculator above.
On a $90,000 salary, taxes, gross rent including basic utilities, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $51,000 a year in Chicago and $63,146 in San Francisco if you rent: $12,146 more after the move. If you buy the median home, those selected costs use mortgage, property tax, homeowners insurance and electricity instead of gross rent; they come to $64,963 and $120,152 ($55,189 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | ChicagoBefore | San FranciscoAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $90,000, single filer | $22,165 | $23,006 | +$841 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,153 | $1,225 | +$72 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,302 | $2,855 | +$553 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $7,752 | $6,840 | -$912 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent and basic utilities ACS median gross rent, 12 months | $17,628 | $29,220 | +$11,592 |
| Total if you rent | $51,000 | $63,146 | +$12,146 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 7.24% | $22,224 | $74,119 | +$51,895 |
| Property tax median home | $6,461 | $8,777 | +$2,316 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,387 | $1,473 | +$86 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,519 | $1,857 | +$338 |
| Total if you buy | $64,963 | $120,152 | +$55,189 |
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. Gross rent includes tenant-paid electricity, gas, water/sewer and fuels; those basic utilities are not added again. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (7.24%, week of October 29, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2025 average residential power bill (buyers only), 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 October 29, 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 $19,601 a year in Chicago and $23,071 in San Francisco (Child Care Aware of America, 2025 (2024 fallback for Colorado, Washington, DC and South Carolina) state averages).
Who moves from Chicago to San Francisco
About 1,647 households (2,166 people) moved from the Chicago metro area to the San Francisco metro area in 2022–2023, making San Francisco the #12 destination for people leaving Chicago among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,243 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $132,265.
Cost to move from Chicago to San Francisco
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $1,360–$6,530 |
| Moving container | $2,250–$6,400 |
| Full-service movers | $3,570–$17,530 |
Shipping a car instead of driving
Car shipping: $1,320–$1,910
Shipping a sedan from Chicago to San Francisco on an open carrier costs about $1,320–$1,910, typically 5–10 days in transit over about 2,170 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 mainland-to-Hawaii and mainland-to-Alaska prices. Reverse ocean routes reuse those inbound prices as a proxy, not a separately sourced price for that direction. The 25% SUV and 35% enclosed-carrier uplifts are model assumptions; ocean carrier packages and vehicle charges can differ. Not a quote.
Natural hazard risk: Chicago vs San Francisco
RelocateMath's population-weighted means of FEMA county risk scores are 97.1 for the Chicago area and 99.4 for the San Francisco area, on the county-score scale of 0–100. These means are not official FEMA metro ratings or national metro percentiles. Modeled expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $443 vs $993 per resident; individual properties can differ.
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
The vertical line marks county-score scale midpoint (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is San Francisco cheaper than Chicago?
Overall prices in the San Francisco area are 11.6% higher than in Chicago (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,435 vs $1,469 a month, and the median home is $1,132,900 vs $339,700.
What salary do I need in San Francisco to match $100,000 in Chicago?
About $116,800 in a fixed single-filer W-2 example assuming residence inside both principal cities. It accounts for 2026 federal and principal-state taxes, modeled resident local taxes where applicable, and metro prices. Uses Illinois and California state income tax. This illustration stays fixed when calculator inputs change.
How much does it cost to move from Chicago to San Francisco?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 2,170 miles: roughly $1,360–$6,530 with a rental truck, $2,250–$6,400 with a container, or $3,570–$17,530 with full-service movers.
How many people move from Chicago to San Francisco?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,647 households (2,166 people) moved from the Chicago metro area to the San Francisco metro area, and 1,243 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Chicago move
- Chicago to New York 4,600 households
- Chicago to Phoenix 3,626 households
- Chicago to Dallas 3,289 households
- Chicago to Los Angeles 3,248 households
- Chicago to Milwaukee 2,294 households
- Chicago to Miami 2,294 households
- Chicago to Indianapolis 2,181 households
- Chicago to Denver 2,160 households
State-agency links identify the responsible tax office; they do not verify every modeled rule. Use forms and guidance for the year you are filing.