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Ask HN: True Apartment Costs in SF?

32 points by blahneverdies ↗ HN
For those here working in San Francisco, what is the true cost of, for example, a 1 BR apartment there, with a minimal commute to tech hubs?

I see a lot of posts mentioning numbers up to $3,500-4000. I'm sure those exist (everywhere), but I also see many on CL in the $2,500-2,800 range, which is still high of course but not as high as those other numbers, and not that far from (if not equivalent to) NYC and other high COL cities, where salaries are lower in comparison.

Certain articles may also pick out the highest-priced units to make a point.

Some of the ads I see may be deceptive, but I've seen enough that it seems like there are semi-decent places in that range.

Is that true?

State taxes are highest there as well, but it still comes down to net earnings, at least for purposes of this question. :)

28 comments

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genS3
NYC 2,500-2,800 might be the average, if you live in manhattan, brooklyn, hoboken, or anything close to manhattan it will be more.
jklein11
An average 1 bedroom in Hoboken is probably closer to 2500-2800
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blahneverdies
Well I can live close to (but not in) Manhattan for better than that, but even so, that strengthens the case for SF-level salaries, if true!
tudelo
Brooklyn near 3k is really going towards new apartments. I pay about that total for a few year old apartment and have a ~25 minute commute via L train. During my search I found townhouses <30 minute commute with 3br with a yard even in not so bad areas under 3k. I just wasn't as familiar with the area so I didn't feel comfortable. The housing cost is not so bad here.
lowdest
$3500-4000 for a 1 bedroom is common, (I rent one) but it's also probably in a nice, modern, new-construction building. Mine is 15th floor with a view, so it's more than the bare necessities. Buildings like this have the best marketing budget, so you see them all over the internet. The less developed and less expensive areas will have a longer commute. You could live in the east bay and ride Bart in e.g. at $11 per round trip from Berkeley. Your company may provide a transit benefit so you can spend pre-tax dollars on your commute.
blahneverdies
Thanks, that makes sense for that quality of apartment.

I'd rather be in SF (but understood).

lowdest
If you'd like to start with a furnished studio in berkeley, I know someone with a vacant unit.
anxman
2ndAddress could be a good way to get a feel for neighborhoods without having to make a big commitment.
taurath
2ndAddress is about 30-40% more expensive than airbnb monthly, FWIW.
jeffnv
I pay $2800 for a lovely 1br in SF, but the bus ride in door to door is always over 45 minutes. If you have the option to work from home a couple days a week or love bicycling, it's fine.
squegles
My last apartment was $3200 for about 800 sq ft 1br in a quaint well kept Victorian apartment building that was a 15 minute walk to FiDi. Had nice big bay windows and all. My only gripe (not big ones either) was no washer/dryer in unit although the building had some for tenants and street parking only.
gesman
Renting $4,500/mo, 3 bedroom (upper part) of house in San Mateo + 1 car garage + backyard. Close to Hwy 101 and 92 (and 280). 30-40 minutes drive to SF and/or SJ.

Will be moving out soon, so if anyone interested - ping me.

lubujackson
Because of San Francisco's unique laws, you can sometimes get a much better deal coming in as a new roommate to an existing lease than you might expect. So if rents are running $5000-6000 for a 3 bedroom, someone in an older building with a lease started 5 years ago might be paying $3000 for a comparable unit. As you can imagine, those deals are harder to find but they are not uncommon.
acchow
Naturally, it varies by location. Here's a rough map

https://www.zumper.com/blog/2019/03/san-francisco-neighborho...

The median doesn't show the whole picture. Median price in SOMA is higher than median in the Mission. But median qualiy in SOMA is higher too - many more newer units, whereas Mission has a ton of older victorians.

thatfrenchguy
Quality is subjective though: if you live in the Mission / Noe / Cole Valley, you'll see less crazy homeless people and you'll be walking distance to more interesting things and you'll get rent control, in exchange of which you won't get a newer unit.
atarian
I pay less than $2000 for a studio in the Tenderloin. Obviously, not everyone is willing to make that adjustment but if you want something cheap you can definitely find it.
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kdaker
I just moved to SF in December and was thinking the same thing.

I saw a ton of posts of CL in the 2500-2700 range which is what I was aiming for and thought It was gonna be easy.

But after moving and actually viewing the apartments it was not what I was expecting. If you have a car and want to have a W/D it’s gonna be 3k minimum.

If you can ditch the car and not need in unit W/D you can find something in that range... this is excluding the tenderloin.

blahneverdies
Thanks, that's the sort of front line perspective I'm seeking!

Car no, clean clothes yes. (The laundromat's much less convenient and enjoyable.)

I do know a lot of the SF housing stock isn't that great, just from looking--bad kitchens and old furnishings, because "they" know they can get away with it. (And you can bet they'd never live like that themselves: it's upgrades all the way.)

ambivalents
2800 for a nice 1BR in a nice neighborhood.
blahneverdies
Thanks, for me $3k's a barrier not worth crossing (excepting FAANG-level remuneration?), and that seems workable considering the salary difference I see there.
ambivalents
For sure. I saw your above comment about laundry -- I don't have W/D so have to go to a laundromat about half a block away. I thought it'd be a dealbreaker for me but it's not so bad, I just make a thing of it every 2 weeks, listen to podcasts, and get through it. I've also used a pick up laundry delivery service on occasion, so if you went that route you could factor that into your monthly rent budget.
deeteecee
depends on your personal needs but if you're reasonable and want a 1 bedroom, a $2500-$3000 is fair game and live near downtown. You can go much cheaper (roughly half that price) if you're willing to live outside of downtown
romanr
Is it per week or per month?
fzzzy
Month. Rent prices in the US are always per month.
legitimator
I pay $3300 for a 700 sq ft 1 bed/1bath in a decent part of SoMA. It's got a builtin W/D, doorman, pool, gym with sauna, private dog park. Aside the doorman (which is super clutch for receiving packages!), I don't actually care about any of the other amenities.