San Francisco vs Phoenix
San Francisco, CA · Phoenix, AZ
Phoenix is 50% cheaper than San Francisco overall.
Home Price
San: $1,350,000
Phoenix: $420,000
Monthly Rent
San: $3,498/mo
Phoenix: $1,150/mo
COL Index
San: 214
Phoenix: 106
Median Income
San: $131,000
Phoenix: $67,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in San Francisco has the same purchasing power as $49,533 in Phoenix — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Phoenix cost 69% more (-$930,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Phoenix saves you $2,348/month — $28,176 per year. Median rent: $3,498/mo in San Francisco vs $1,150/mo in Phoenix.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, San Francisco owners pay roughly $8,505/year in property taxes vs $2,604/year in Phoenix. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $131,000 in San Francisco and $67,600 in Phoenix. Phoenix residents earn 48% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 34 minutes in San Francisco vs 26 minutes in Phoenix. Over a year, that's 4000 extra minutes (67 hours) of commuting in San Francisco.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from San Francisco to Phoenix, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in San Francisco | Equivalent in Phoenix | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $24,766 | -$25,234 |
| $75,000 | $37,150 | -$37,850 |
| $100,000 | $49,533 | -$50,467 |
| $150,000 | $74,299 | -$75,701 |
| $200,000 | $99,065 | -$100,935 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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San Francisco Calculators
Phoenix Calculators
Related Comparisons
San Francisco vs Phoenix: Common Questions
Is San Francisco or Phoenix cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Phoenix is cheaper overall. San Francisco has a COL index of 214 while Phoenix scores 106 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between San Francisco and Phoenix?
The median home price in San Francisco is $1,350,000 vs $420,000 in Phoenix — a difference of $930,000 (69%).
What salary do I need in Phoenix to match my San Francisco income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in San Francisco is equivalent to $49,533 in Phoenix in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Phoenix has a lower property tax rate (0.62% vs 0.63%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,604/year vs $8,505/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.