Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in San Francisco, California
A $1,381,000 home here costs
$10,036per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $430,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $7,649. The real number is $2,387 higher every month, 31% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare San Francisco 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 Francisco against San Francisco County and California
| Measure | San Francisco | San Francisco County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $1,380,500 | $1,380,500 |
| Median property tax | $9,412 | $9,412 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.682% | 0.682% |
| Median gross rent | $2,419 | $2,419 |
| Population | 836,321 | 836,321 |
The weather behind that power bill
San Francisco sits in San Francisco County, which averages a high of 70.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 46.6°F in its coldest, with 22.89" of precipitation a year and 59% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 121 cooling and 2,781 heating degree days, which is what sets the $169 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for San Francisco County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in San Francisco County
No other places of this size are published in San Francisco County.
Full San Francisco County cost breakdown · Every county in California
Talk to someone who works this market
These are San Francisco 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 Francisco every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in San Francisco I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in San Francisco?
A $1,381,000 home in San Francisco, California costs approximately $10,036 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $7,649 principal and interest, $785 property tax, $214 homeowners insurance, $237 utilities and $1,151 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in San Francisco?
San Francisco has an effective property tax rate of 0.682%, based on a median home value of $1,380,500 and median real estate taxes of $9,412. That is in line with the San Francisco County average of 0.682%.
What is the average home price in San Francisco?
The median owner-occupied home value in San Francisco, California is $1,380,500, against $1,380,500 across San Francisco County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in San Francisco?
Median gross rent in San Francisco is $2,419 a month, against $10,036 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 Francisco?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in San Francisco, California at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $430,000 a year. That covers the full $10,036 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for San Francisco, 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.