Median rent is 15% lower in Gilbert ($2,110/mo vs $2,476/mo). Buying is cheaper in Gilbert, where the median home runs $575,100 versus $1,394,500. Households earn more in San Francisco ($140,970 vs $122,551 a year).
City A
Gilbert, AZ
City B
San Francisco, CA
How much would you need to earn in San Francisco, CA to maintain your standard of living from Gilbert, AZ?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Gilbert
Arizona
San Francisco
California
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Median rent is modestly lower in Gilbert at $2,110/mo compared to $2,476/mo in San Francisco (15% gap). Home buyers face a steeper market in San Francisco: the median home is $1,394,500 versus $575,100 in Gilbert — 59% more expensive.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Gilbert
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
San Francisco
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Air quality data is available for Gilbert (avg AQI 32.0) but not yet for San Francisco.
Pick San Francisco if you prioritize higher median household income ($140,970/yr).
Pick Gilbert if you prioritize cheaper rent ($2,110/mo median).
Is Gilbert cheaper than San Francisco?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Gilbert vs San Francisco?
Median rent is $2,110/mo in Gilbert, AZ and $2,476/mo in San Francisco, CA. Gilbert, AZ has the lower rent by about 15%.
Which has higher salaries — Gilbert or San Francisco?
Median household income is $122,551 in Gilbert, AZ and $140,970 in San Francisco, CA. San Francisco, CA has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Air quality data is not yet available for one or both cities.
Which has lower taxes — Gilbert or San Francisco?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in San Francisco to match my Gilbert income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
