thinking about moving to san francisco, CA?

Question

how much money should I save I have $3000 but am trying to save $5000 should that be enough to live from for 2-3 months including relocation costs? My partner would also have about the same. Has anyone done a move to san fran? Do you love it there?

Answer 1

It depends on what you're willing to put up with. Noisy, ground-floor units are more affordable. While sublets and shared rentals are the cheapest.

If you can't live with such restrictions, be advised that a private one-bedroom apartment in a good neighborhood will likely run from $1,200 to $1,500 a month.

San Francisco is great for urbanites. It's compact and crowded...so life is lived 'in the streets.' Public squares and parks are extremely busy. The city's bars, restaurants, and cafes are always bursting with activity. More than enough bands, comedians, and artists work to keep culture vultures happy. And San Francisco has a well developed public transportation system, which includes buses, trams, trains, and ferries.

If you value the peace and tranquility of rural life, however, San Francisco is not the place to go. Parking is a nightmare and traffic is a constant. Sanitation is sometimes questionable. Disturbances are common (political/religious protests, government hotshots' motorcades, police actions, strikes, etc.). And while the surrounding area is beautiful, your enjoyment of the scenery is often obscured by a ton of concrete, steel, and millions of obnoxious tourists.

Answer 2

I moved to Napa, and the moving company alone charged me $6000 for moving me halfway across the country. I found a nice 3 BR apartment and had to put down about $2300 for first month and deposit and fee for an $1105 apt. Which if you can believe it, is cheap for Napa. Then there's bills, insurance, food, toiletries, gas, etc... It really adds up. But the best part is I love it here and would never live anywhere else. And the city is about 50 miles away, or I can drive 11 miles and hop on the ferry in Vallejo and be in the city in 45 minutes. You might want to try looking into the outlying communties. Many many people have to do that because of affordable housing. One of my relatives makes a 3 hour commute ONE WAY into the city for work from the Central Valley.

Oh, and don't look at Richmond, Oakland, the Tenderloin, or the Haight-Ashbury districts, unless you want to get mugged or shot.

Answer 3

In general, you can expect to need three months' worth of rent, just to move in somewhere...this will be first month, last month, and a security/cleaning deposit. For the most part, in SF, $3000 isn't nearly enough, as real estate prices are very high in this neck of the woods ($3000 may not even be enough for one month!).

Check the classifieds in the link below...this should help you better understand the prices that are available.

Answer 4

Get a job there before you even consider moving.

Better yet take a weeks vacation there and look at rentals and see if you would like to live there.

Chances are you can do graphic design for a NoCal company over the internet and make enough to visit regularly or have them pay for trips for business purposes.

When you have $100,000 in equity you might consider a move there if your combined income is over $200k per year.

Answer 5

You should check out the rentals at www.craigslist.org

It is very expensive to live in SF. A one bedroom apartment will cost you about $1500/month for rent only. Don't forget all the other living expenses.

Answer 6

first save up about 10,000
then sell all your junk and keep the good stuff
then find a job in s.f.
then find a good place with no crime and thats clean and theres no rats
then move here

Answer 7

sorry but that won't cover your rent for even 3 months. it is very expensive to live in SF

Answer 8

definately not enough. It's expensive here...but still love it!