San Francisco vs Seattle

Salary & cost of living comparison

Metric
San Francisco
Seattle
Median Salary
$95,000
$82,000
Rent (1BR)
$3,400
$2,400
Rent (2BR)
$4,800
$3,400
CoL Index
105
88
Groceries
98
90
Transport
$110
$110
Tax Rate
30%
25%
Tech Hub
10/10
9/10

Cost of Living Ratio

0.84

Seattle is cheaper

Rent Ratio

0.71

Salary Equivalent Ratio

0.84

💰 Salary Equivalents

Enter your salary to see the equivalent:

$
in San Francisco = in Seattle

Common salary equivalents:

$50k in San Francisco = $42k in Seattle
$80k in San Francisco = $67k in Seattle
$100k in San Francisco = $84k in Seattle
$120k in San Francisco = $101k in Seattle
$150k in San Francisco = $126k in Seattle
$200k in San Francisco = $168k in Seattle

📈 Monthly Budget Breakdown

San Francisco

$5,964/mo net

57%
27%
Rent $3,400 Groceries $441 Transport $110 Utilities $158 Leisure $263 Savings $1,592

Seattle

$5,194/mo net

46%
8%
37%
Rent $2,400 Groceries $405 Transport $110 Utilities $132 Leisure $220 Savings $1,927

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, Seattle is approximately 16% cheaper than San Francisco based on overall cost of living index.
To maintain the same standard of living as a $100,000 salary in San Francisco, you would need approximately $84,000 in Seattle.
Seattle has a lower effective tax rate. San Francisco has an effective rate of 30% while Seattle has 25%.
San Francisco ranks higher for tech workers with a tech hub score of 10/10 compared to 9/10.

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