Cost of living in the San Francisco Metro Area
5 counties across CA. Population: 4,653,593.
Last updated May 22, 2026
Rent in the San Francisco Metro Area
Average rent across the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area, weighted by county population.
Source: HUD FMR + ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Income and earnings in the San Francisco Metro Area
Earnings data averaged across all 5 counties.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Home values in the San Francisco Metro Area
Average home values and annual property tax across the metro.
Source: ACS (population-weighted metro average)
Energy costs in the San Francisco Metro Area
Residential electricity and natural gas estimates.
Source: EIA (state averages applied per county, weighted)
All 5 counties in the San Francisco Metro Area
The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area includes 5 counties. Sorted by population.
- Oakland CA$4,784/moPop1,651,949 Rent$2,201/mo Income$126,240/yrOakland CA 1,651,949 $2,201/mo $126,240/yr $4,784/mo
- Concord CA$4,635/moPop1,161,458 Rent$2,201/mo Income$125,727/yrConcord CA 1,161,458 $2,201/mo $125,727/yr $4,635/mo
- San Francisco CA$5,817/moPop836,321 Rent$2,780/mo Income$141,446/yrSan Francisco CA 836,321 $2,780/mo $141,446/yr $5,817/mo
- San Mateo CA$5,567/moPop745,100 Rent$2,780/mo Income$156,000/yrSan Mateo CA 745,100 $2,780/mo $156,000/yr $5,567/mo
- Marin County CA$5,446/moPop258,765 Rent$2,780/mo Income$142,785/yrMarin County CA 258,765 $2,780/mo $142,785/yr $5,446/mo
Compare counties in the San Francisco Metro Area
Put two counties side by side to see how rent, taxes and everyday costs stack up across the metro.
Open comparison toolFrequently asked questions about the San Francisco Metro Area
Common questions about cost of living in the metro area.
What is the cost of living in the San Francisco Metro Area?
The estimated average cost of living in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area is approximately $5,095 per month for a single person. This is a population-weighted average across the 5 counties that make up the metro area.
What is the average rent in the San Francisco Metro Area?
The average one-bedroom rent across the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area is $2,430 per month, based on HUD Fair Market Rent data weighted by county population.
What is the cheapest county in the San Francisco Metro Area?
Contra Costa County, CA is the most affordable county in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area at approximately $4,635 per month for a single person.
What is the most expensive county in the San Francisco Metro Area?
San Francisco County, CA is the most expensive county in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area at approximately $5,817 per month for a single person.
How many counties are in the San Francisco Metro Area?
The San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont metro area covers 5 counties. The five largest by population are Oakland, Concord, San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin County.
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About this data
All figures come from official U.S. government sources. Metro-area averages are population-weighted across constituent counties using Census ACS population estimates.