Moving from San Francisco to Santa Rosa
Your paycheck goes 7.2% further in Santa Rosa than in San Francisco. Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Santa Rosa: $124,100
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $124,100 in Santa Rosa, CA to match $135,000 in San Francisco, CA ($10,900 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Both are in California, so state income tax is the same; neither city levies a resident income tax.
San Francisco vs Santa Rosa: key facts
- Median rent
- $2,435 → $2,229/mo
- Median home value
- $1,132,900 → $822,400
- Median household income
- $135,590 → $107,274
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 115.6 → 107.8
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (99.4 → 99.1 of 100)
San Francisco vs Santa Rosa cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | San Francisco, CA | Santa Rosa, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 115.6 | 107.8 |
| Median rent | $2,435 | $2,229 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $97,400 | $89,160 |
| Median home value | $1,132,900 | $822,400 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $6,854 | $4,960 |
| Income needed to buy | $293,723 | $212,575 |
| Median property tax | $8,777 | $5,787 |
| State income tax on $135,000 | $8,310 | $8,310 |
| Metro population | 4,648,486 | 485,375 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state.
Your yearly budget: San Francisco vs Santa Rosa
On a $135,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $83,718 a year in San Francisco and $81,246 in Santa Rosa if you rent: $2,472 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $136,740 and $114,019 ($22,721 less).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | San FranciscoBefore | Santa RosaAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $135,000, single filer | $41,526 | $41,526 | $0 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,930 | $1,930 | $0 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,225 | $1,225 | $0 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,977 | $2,977 | $0 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,840 | $6,840 | $0 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $29,220 | $26,748 | -$2,472 |
| Total if you rent | $83,718 | $81,246 | -$2,472 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $71,992 | $52,261 | -$19,731 |
| Property tax median home | $8,777 | $5,787 | -$2,990 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,473 | $1,473 | $0 |
| Total if you buy | $136,740 | $114,019 | -$22,721 |
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 $22,628 a year in San Francisco and $22,628 in Santa Rosa (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from San Francisco to Santa Rosa
About 2,913 households (4,644 people) moved from the San Francisco metro area to the Santa Rosa metro area in 2022–2023, making Santa Rosa the #8 destination for people leaving San Francisco among the 149 metro areas we cover. 1,753 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $161,460.
Cost to move from San Francisco to Santa Rosa
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 60 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: San Francisco vs Santa Rosa
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the San Francisco area among the highest (score 99.4) and the Santa Rosa area among the highest (score 99.1), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $993 vs $1,238 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 Santa Rosa cheaper than San Francisco?
Overall prices in the Santa Rosa area are 6.7% lower than in San Francisco (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $2,229 vs $2,435 a month, and the median home is $822,400 vs $1,132,900.
What salary do I need in Santa Rosa to match $100,000 in San Francisco?
About $91,800, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Both are in California, so state income tax is the same.
How much does it cost to move from San Francisco to Santa Rosa?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 60 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from San Francisco to Santa Rosa?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 2,913 households (4,644 people) moved from the San Francisco metro area to the Santa Rosa metro area, and 1,753 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from San Francisco move
- San Francisco to San Jose 11,758 households
- San Francisco to Los Angeles 8,569 households
- San Francisco to Sacramento 6,939 households
- San Francisco to New York 5,827 households
- San Francisco to Stockton 4,705 households
- San Francisco to Vallejo 4,117 households
- San Francisco to San Diego 3,376 households
- San Francisco to Seattle 2,851 households