Moving to San Francisco, California [The Ultimate Guide]

Table of Contents

• What do the job market and salaries look like in San Francisco?
• What is the weather in San Francisco?
• Is it expensive to live in San Francisco?
• Which are the best neighborhoods to move to in San Francisco?
• How to choose your movers?
• How can you get around in San Francisco?
• Did you know these facts about San Francisco?

San Francisco is the place where you can find a career in technology, green energy, or in arts. Here you can improve your tech skills to a world-class level.

If these are some of the areas in which you want to work in, then moving to San Francisco, California is the right place for you. Before moving to this remarkable city, first, you have to find a job and rent an apartment.

San Francisco is among the most expensive cities in the US, so keep that in mind before you make your final decision to move here.

This guide for moving to San Francisco, California will prepare you for the obstacles which you will have to face when you move to this city.

What do the job market and salaries look like in San Francisco?

The City that Knows How, as some people like to call it, is magnificent both during the day and the night. If you want to enjoy the wonders and opportunities that this city has to offer, you are going to need a steady income.

Depending on your level of education, you can apply for different job positions. San Francisco is the Mecca for tech jobs, but if you are coming here to land that dream Google job, know that there are many like you.

If you are from those who are making up the geek community of the world, then in San Francisco you will feel like you are with your kind.

A software engineer in San Francisco can easily make around $103,000 a year. There are other popular professions such as data scientists (with an annual salary of around $127,000) and database administrators (with an annual salary of around $77,000).

For example, the average salary for an entry-level software engineer is around $97,000. This is about 42 % higher than the national average salary rate.

So, you can see how the pay scale varies based on your experience and education level. Everyone has to start from somewhere, so don’t let the low salary of your first job discourage you from getting your dream job.

Other areas in which people seek job opportunities include health care and finance. The average annual salary of a physician’s assistant is around $115,924, while a registered nurse can even earn an annual average of $91,423 (88 % higher than the national average for that job position).

A financial analyst can make an annual average of around $73,751 which is 22% higher than the same position in other parts of the country according to ZipRecruiter. The other highest-paid jobs in San Francisco include chief executives, natural science managers, dentists, and marketing managers.

What is the weather in San Francisco?

The weather in San Francisco is very deceiving. Don’t expect only warm weather with bursts of sunshine just because the city is located in the state of California. San Francisco is full of microclimates, which can describe its different neighborhoods.

For example, it could be foggy and 49 degrees in one neighborhood and at the same time 65 degrees and sunny in another one.

The City by the Bay is famous for its fog and overcast sky. The only way to prepare for the drastically changing weather is to have layers of clothes on you so that you can remove some of them when needed.

When the other parts of the country are at the peak of their summer weather, the San Francisco residents have the foggiest weather. The foggy skies and the frequent rains can make the city very chilly.

If you are planning a move to San Francisco, you need to know that the weather is strongly influenced by the cold currents of the Pacific Ocean. After the winds have driven the fog away, the cold settles in and you are going to need a jacket in the evenings.

Is it expensive to live in San Francisco?

The cost of living in San Francisco is extremely high and in most cases, you will have to pay almost double the rent that you would have to pay anywhere else in the country for a twice older building.

Start searching for your apartment in advance and choose the perfect neighborhood for you. When the home hunting starts long before the actual move, you should be ready to sign a lease on the spot.

Have in hand a printout of your credit report (and it better be good if you don’t have a job yet), checkbook, and be ready to change your priorities regarding the square footage and the amenities.

It will also be good if you have internet on your phone so that you can keep track of every new posting on Craigslist or any other apartment rental websites. Rentals in good neighborhoods go fast.

San Francisco is a small but very expensive city for living in. This city is even more expensive than New York City. The rental prices for one month are quite high and can vary from $3,400 to $6,000 depending on the type of apartment and its location according to Zillow.

The rental costs are the highest in the entire country. Keep in mind that if you want a home in the city center, you will have to pay more. For example, renting a 1 bedroom apartment in the city center will cost you about $3,300, while the same type of home outside the city center will be about $2,700.

Buying an estate is not cheap as well. The price per square meter (10.7 square feet) in the city center is about $12,400, while outside of the city center is around $9,800. The price of the homes also depends on the area and the neighborhood in which they are located. The average price of a San Francisco home is $1.7 million.

Which are the best neighborhoods to move to in San Francisco?

Here is a list of neighborhoods that are considered good for living and also, what benefits each of them offers to its residents.

• Downtown/SOMA has the best access to public transportation.
• NOPA has the most space for your dogs.
• Presidio has a park with hiking trails within the city.
• Pacific Heights is the most walkable.
• Sea Cliff is the most luxurious.
• Chinatown is a very popular tourist destination.

Prepare yourself for a change in your entire life. The search for your future home will challenge your mentality.

Once you have found the apartment you’ve pictured in your mind, then you will be ready to relocate to San Francisco.

It doesn’t matter from which city you come to San Francisco. Once you are here, you will fall in love with it. The city has a lot to offer to everyone who decides to move here.

Which are the safest San Francisco Neighborhoods?

San Francisco, like many urban areas, experiences a range of criminal activities. Property crimes such as theft, burglary, and vehicle break-ins are relatively common, particularly in tourist areas.

There have also been instances of drug-related crimes and occasional incidents of violent crimes. The overall violent crime rate in San Francisco is 54 per 1000 residents. That is one of the highest crime rates in America compared to all communities of all sizes – from the smallest towns to the very largest cities.

While no neighborhood is completely immune to crime, some areas in San Francisco have historically had lower crime rates compared to others. Here are a few neighborhoods often considered safer according to NeighborhoodScout:

• Parkside East
• Oceanview
• Merced Manor
• Outer Sunset East
• McLaren Park North
• Sherwood Forest
• Laurel Heights
• Ft Miley/Lincoln Park
• Sea Cliff

How can you get around in San Francisco?

Most of the people who live in San Francisco use public transport to get around such as BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit). Those who do decide to use their cars spend a lot of time in traffic. Parking can also be a nightmare, especially in popular neighborhoods such as Hayes Valley and the Castro.

The City has a lot of bike-friendly streets on which you can use your bike as transportation to go almost everywhere. Walking is also a great option to get around in the city and see all of the beautiful scenery.

How to choose your movers?

After exploring the city in depth and finally renting your future apartment, now you are ready to wrap and pack. Choose your moving company carefully.

Surely, a priority will be to save some money after all of the expenses on the pre-move trip, rent and security deposit for the new home in San Francisco.

Make a moving checklist to organize your move even better. Think about what you are going to take from the old place to the new one.

Go through all of your rooms and belongings and decide what you will keep and what you can sell or donate. Then call a few moving companies to get free moving estimates.

Compare and contrast what all companies offer and do not ever trust the lowest quote. Research the moving companies’ customer satisfaction rate by reading California moving reviews and ask for references.

Most San Francisco movers will supply you with reference contacts, but you should also ask friends and family. Ask the movers for any additional fees such as travel and packing materials fees.

Many companies offer a full moving service that would include everything in the moving cost.

You will only have to be present at pick-up day to make sure everything is wrapped the way you need it and the movers do not pick up things that go with you.

Gather all of your valuables such as jewelry and documents with you in your car and never leave them with the movers as the moving liability does not cover eventual damage or loss.

Read our article about What to pack and when for moving for more info on the subject. Most moving companies offer additional moving insurance if you would like to insure your goods. So, a lot is going into a move, especially if it is a cross-country move.

Make sure you ask all the questions you may have and stay in touch with your movers. Whether you are about to do a San Francisco move from NYC, DC, or any other location in the USA, the transition will not be always easy, but a professional cross-country moving company can make it go smoothly.

Did you know these facts about San Francisco?

Where is San Francisco?

San Francisco is located on the west coast of the United States in the state of California. It is situated on the tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and the San Francisco Bay to the east.

How Big is San Francisco?

San Francisco’s size? It’s a relatively small city in terms of land area. It covers an area of approximately 46.87 square miles. Despite its small size, San Francisco is densely populated, with approximately 17,000 people per square mile.

San Francisco’s compact size and hilly terrain contribute to its unique and vibrant character. That is a lot of people in one square mile, yet it is not a surprise since the San Francisco Bay Area is one of the most beautiful places in the US and the world.

This population explosion has begun back in the Gold Rush Era when thousands of people fled to California to look for their riches.

The city is greatly diverse and there you will find the largest population of Asians outside Asia. San Francisco has never stopped growing, even during the Great Depression. That is the time when its famous landmarks were built – The Golden Gate Bridge and The Bay Bridge.

After World War II, urban planning helped once again the expansion of the city and its population. After the war, the Federal Government built the prison on Alcatraz Island.

Also during that time, San Francisco formed as a center of counterculture and the hippie movement. The summer of 1967 was called The Summer of Love when nearly 100,000 people gathered in one of the neighborhoods and this was a defining moment for the counterculture or the hippie revolution.

The city turned into a place where new ideas, ideals, and behaviors were born and that summer had a profound and lasting impact in the US and around the world.

Frequently Asked Questions