Moving from Columbus to San Francisco
Moving from Columbus to San Francisco
San Francisco costs you $256 a month versus Columbus. −$3,072 a year.
Who already made this move
In 2022-2023, 175 households moved Columbus → San Francisco (about 231 people, average AGI $96,480). 125 households went the other way.
Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration. Not a moving company; not a recommendation.
| Per month | Columbus | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Take-home | $5,695 | $7,413 |
| Rent | $1,174 | $2,609 |
| All other costs | $1,875 | $2,414 |
| Left over | $2,646 | $2,390 |
Full line-by-line comparison →
What the move itself costs
About 2,532 road miles, 1 bedroom. Typical ranges, not quotes.
- Full-service mover
- $4,850–$9,150
- Container or pod
- $3,500–$6,600
- Rent a truck
- $2,250–$4,250
Dig into San Francisco
Paycheck
Take-home pay after tax and rent, and what's left at the end of the month.
Who moved
Which metros people actually left and arrived from, according to IRS tax returns.
Rent vs buy
Asking rent, the median home, property tax, and months to a down payment.
Monthly costs
Groceries, getting around, utilities, healthcare and childcare at your household size.
Daily life
Homicide and firearm death rates, heat, cars and commute.
Kids
Public-school enrollment, pupil–teacher ratio, bedrooms and childcare.
Getting there
What the move itself costs from where you live now, and how to find a mover you can trust.
Questions
Is the cost of living lower in San Francisco than Columbus?
A one-bedroom is about $1,174 in Columbus versus $2,609 in San Francisco. On a one-adult, one-bedroom household, leftover is about $256 a month lower in San Francisco. Change the job or household on the comparison to see your number.
Does San Francisco have state income tax?
San Francisco is in California, which taxes wage income.
Did people actually move from Columbus to San Francisco?
When IRS county-to-county data covers this pair, the page lists how many households made the Columbus → San Francisco move and their average AGI. Leftover after tax and rent is shown for the same household on both sides.