Rent vs Buy Calculator: San Francisco, CA

Prefilled with San Francisco estimates: a ~$1,250,000 home (about $250,000 for 20% down) versus ~$3,400/mo rent. California's effective property tax of 0.75%, near the U.S. average (~1.1%), adds roughly $9,375/yr, and typical homeowners insurance runs about $1,700/yr. Adjust every field to your actual home below.

Today's $

Over 10 years

Rent ahead by

$451,486

Buy $808,794Rent $1,260,280

$0$200k$400k$600k$800k$1M$1.2MYr 1Yr 10BuyRent

At year 10, renting is ahead by $451,486. Over the full 10 years, renting stays ahead; it would only flip if home appreciation topped about 6.25%/yr.

Show the math

Buy home $1.8M − sale costs $106k − loan $848k − closing $10k = $809k

Rent down-payment invested $523k + monthly savings invested $738k = $1.3M

Years

Home price

Decision flips, PMI & tax

Decision flips if…

home appreciation crosses 6.25%/yr (you assumed 3.5%).

PMI

20%+ down, no PMI applies.

Tax benefit

Itemizing beats the standard deduction here.

Method & assumptions

Break-even year: never within horizon

Mortgage payment = standard fixed-rate amortization on (Price − Down Payment), term, and rate.

PMI applies under 20% down, removed at 78% LTV of the original price (Homeowners Protection Act).

Tax benefit = (deductible interest on the first $750k of debt + min(property tax + other SALT, $10,000) − the standard deduction) × marginal rate. $0 for most filers post-2017.

Buy net worth = Home value × (1 − Selling %) − Remaining mortgage − Closing costs.

Rent net worth = invested (Down payment + Closing) + the amount saved vs owning, invested at the Alt Investment Return.

Full methodology & sources →

Year-by-year details

These are projected net worth at the end of each year (what you'd have: home equity if you sold, vs your invested money if you rented and invested the difference), not the cash you spend that year.

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Nominal $. On phones only Year / Rent / Buy show; widen the screen for the full breakdown.

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Is it better to rent or buy in San Francisco?

There's no universal answer. It hinges on how long you'll stay, what you'd earn investing the down payment instead, and California's tax and insurance costs. Property tax is the biggest local lever: at 0.75% on a $1,250,000 home that's about $9,375 every year, before insurance and maintenance. Use the break-even readout above to see the year buying pulls ahead, and the appreciation rate that flips the decision.

Starting estimates for San Francisco, CA

Median home price estimate (metro level): $1,250,000
Typical monthly rent estimate (metro level): $3,400
Effective property tax (California state level): 0.75% (~$9,375/yr on this price)
Avg. homeowners insurance (California state level): $1,700/yr

At about $1,250,000 to buy versus $3,400/mo to rent, San Francisco's price-to-rent ratio is roughly 30.6x annual rent, historically the range where renting and investing the difference tends to win. It is the clearest single number for San Francisco specifically; tax and insurance above are California state-level figures, so run your exact home and rent below before deciding.

Starting estimates as of 2026-01. See the methodology & sources.

Frequently asked questions

How much is property tax in San Francisco?

California's effective rate is about 0.75%, so a $1,250,000 home costs roughly $9,375 per year in property tax. Your county or city may vary, so adjust the field.

Are these San Francisco numbers exact?

No. They're reasonable starting estimates so you don't face a blank form. Replace them with your specific home price, rent, and quotes for an accurate result.

Does this include PMI and the tax deduction?

Yes. PMI applies if you put under 20% down and is removed at 78% LTV, and the mortgage tax benefit is only counted when itemizing actually beats the standard deduction.

Other metros

Atlanta, GA Austin, TX Baltimore, MD Birmingham, AL Boston, MA Buffalo, NY Charlotte, NC Chicago, IL Cincinnati, OH Cleveland, OH All metros & full calculator →

Rent vs Buy Calculator: San Francisco, CA

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