Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in San Bruno, California
A $1,199,000 home here costs
$8,444per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $362,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $6,537. The real number is $1,907 higher every month, 29% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Mateo County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
San Bruno against San Mateo County and California
| Measure | San Bruno | San Mateo County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,199,400 | $1,494,500 |
| Median property tax | $6,051 | $9,167 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.505% | 0.613% |
| Median gross rent | $2,696 | $2,893 |
| Population | 42,612 | 745,100 |
The weather behind that power bill
San Bruno sits in San Mateo County, which averages a high of 66.4°F in its hottest month and a low of 42.9°F in its coldest, with 26.04" of precipitation a year and 57% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 12 cooling and 3,701 heating degree days, which is what sets the $150 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Mateo County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Mateo County
Full San Mateo County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are San Bruno averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works San Bruno every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in San Bruno I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in San Bruno?
A $1,199,000 home in San Bruno, California costs approximately $8,444 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $6,537 principal and interest, $505 property tax, $186 homeowners insurance, $218 utilities and $999 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in San Bruno?
San Bruno has an effective property tax rate of 0.505%, based on a median home value of $1,199,400 and median real estate taxes of $6,051. That is lower than the San Mateo County average of 0.613%.
What is the average home price in San Bruno?
The median owner-occupied home value in San Bruno, California is $1,199,400, against $1,494,500 across San Mateo County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Bruno?
Median gross rent in San Bruno is $2,696 a month, against $8,444 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in San Bruno?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in San Bruno, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $362,000 a year. That covers the full $8,444 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for San Bruno, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for California.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.