Your Expat Community in San Francisco

San Francisco is currently the most expensive rental market in the US. One-bedroom rent can go over 3,200 USD per month. Additionally, the poor work-life balance due to the high living costs and high pressure in the work culture can lead to burnout.

On the other hand, everyday services are all reachable on foot, and multiple public transport options such as Muni, BART, Caltrain, and ferries are available. Living car-free can help a person save thousands of USD a year. A trip to top-notch landmarks and nature spots is possible even with a poor work-life balance since they are reachable within a few hours by car, leading to 20th out of 82 in Leisure & Climate in our Expat Insider.

So, San Francisco can be your ideal destination if you are willing to adjust to the downsides and appreciate all the amazing things the city can offer.

San Francisco is having a shortage of registered nurses because of an aging population and high burnout rates. The tech sector needs professionals with specialization in AI and machine learning. Breakthroughs in personalized medicine are the main cause of hiring growth in the life sciences sector, while financial services continue to demand talent for fintech innovation. Regional wages are better than national averages, and professionals with skills of technical depth and leadership receive better compensation packages.

In the table below, you will find the salary ranges for in-demand job sectors in San Francisco.

San Francisco is in the top ten most expensive cities globally. That’s why living costs in San Francisco are significantly higher than the national average. The good thing is that the public transport is both cost-effective and reliable, helping you save thousands of dollars a year if you live car-free. 6,000-8,000 USD per month is enough for a single person to have a comfortable lifestyle.

Below is a table of estimated monthly living costs in San Francisco.

Most expats, except Canadian citizens and Bermudian citizens, must first obtain the visa at a U.S. consulate in their home country. There are several visa types, but the most issued visa types in San Francisco are H-1B, with four tiers for professionals with a bachelor’s degree or higher, followed by O-1 for professionals with extraordinary ability, especially those in tech & AI.

H-1B visa has a salary threshold depending on the level: 135,000 USD for level I and 200,000 USD for level IV as of 2026, and the approval is made in a lottery every March. The employer must complete Form I-9 within 3 days of your arrival.

You must do all the necessary registrations within 30 days of arrival, such as setting up your address with the postal service, utilities, and getting a Clipper card for the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (Muni) and BART for commuting by public transport, or a Residential Parking Permit (RPP) from the SFMTA for your car. For further details on immigration and registration, you can read our Visa Types and Work Permits in the US guide.

Most residents take out private insurance sponsored by their employer, and a certain amount from their paycheck gets deducted monthly, while the employer covers often 90% of the cost or more due to spending requirements set by the Health Care Security Ordinance (HCSO). Freelancers and self-employed people buy their plan through Covered California, and students are automatically pre-enrolled in a Student Health Insurance Plan.

The coverage is comprehensive, guaranteeing 10 essential benefits such as emergency and preventive services, maternity care, mental health services, and more. However, patients are responsible for a co-payment except for preventive services, and an annual deductible for the major services like surgery or hospital room, before the insurance covers the remaining amount. For more information, you can read our Healthcare in the US guide.

The rental market in San Francisco has a vacancy rate between 4% and 4.5%, making the search process very competitive and stressful. Rent can consume up to 50% of the average monthly income. Apartments are usually rented unfurnished, though standard appliances like a fridge and a stove are usually included. The common property portals for the search are listed below.

• Zillow
• Craigslist
• Apartments
• Hotpads

Starting with short-term accommodation is recommended, as visiting housing in person is the best way to see the conditions and avoid scams. Application requires documents such as a passport, a social security number, proof of finance, and a deposit of 1 month’s rent. For more tips, you can read our Housing in the US guide.

It depends on what you look for and your budget level. Noe Valley is a family-friendly area with farmers’ markets and playgrounds, while Hayes Valley is a social area with cafes, boutiques, and art installations. Inner Sunset, Inner Richmond, and Glen Park are in the middle-pricing range, with two university campuses, various restaurants, and transport connections.

The most affordable neighborhoods are the Outer Sunset and the Mission District. Outer Sunset is coastal but foggy for people who want to live close to the beach and like surfing. Mission District offers a lively nightlife with BART stations, making it ideal for young expats who socialize and commute a lot.

Although carjacking is common, San Francisco had a 25% decrease in overall crime in 2025, including 18% decline in violent crimes and 16% decrease in shootings, according to the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD). Although the city is generally safe, safety can vary from street to street.

The Tenderloin, Civic Center, and parts of South of Market (SoMa) are the high-risk areas with crimes such as narcotics offenses, property theft, assaults, and robberies. You can inform yourself about the latest crime and safety in real-time by using the Citizen app, the SFPD CompStat Reports, or the official DataSF Portal.

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) and Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) systems run buses, Metro lines, historic cable cars, and regional subways. You can either use the plastic Clipper card or the digital card in the Clipper app for digital payments and contactless boarding. The BART app is suitable to find out information on real-time train arrivals, service delays, and planning trips across the wider Bay Area.

Muni Monthly Pass costs 86 USD for unlimited rides on city buses and metro streetcars. A good investment for commuters who also need to use the regional rail within the city is the Monthly “A” Pass that includes both Muni and BART travel and costs only 104 USD.

If you’re coming from San Francisco International Airport (SFO), the BART Yellow Line train can take you downtown in about 30 minutes for about 10 USD. If you want to do cycling, either for health or commute, you can rent a bike through the Bay Wheels app.

It is easy to get by speaking basic English in daily life in San Francisco. Almost half of the residents’ population speaks their native language at home. The city also offers translation services for administrative matters and more through the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA). However, advanced English proficiency is a requirement for professional life, whether in the office or in a networking environment. For expats who want to improve their English, the San Francisco Public Library or City College of San Francisco offers free ESL classes.

San Francisco is very welcoming to foreigners, considering over 34% of its residents are foreign-born. Thanks to the translation services due to the Language Access Ordinance, every resident with limited or no English skills also has access to city services without any discrimination. Noncitizens are also allowed to serve on city boards and vote in School Board elections.

However, social life is a different matter. Many participants in our Expat Insider survey made a remark that people are helpful, but real friendship is hard to build, when asked what they dislike the most about the city. It doesn’t mean that locals don’t like foreigners. People are just busy hustling through life, so many don’t even know their neighbors. Building a social circle takes effort, but San Francisco is still one of the most institutionally supportive environments for foreigners.

Making new friends is a worry that people relocating have. However, one-third of the population in San Francisco is foreign-born, making it a foreigner-friendly city. It means there are thousands of fellow international people looking for new friends and connections just like you are.

InterNations can be a starting place for you to find friends and make new connections. As a global network with an international community in 420 cities worldwide, we offer multiple events regularly to help expats socialize and make friends. Most people come alone to the events and build new connections in a laid-back atmosphere.

Some events are recurring, like the InterNations San Francisco Newcomers’ events and InterNations San Francisco Official events, where you can enjoy your favorite drink with expats from different backgrounds. Interest-based Groups, like the City Explorers Group, the Outdoor Adventure Group, and many more groups, hold unique events all year round.

Platforms like Meetup and Facebook Groups are also another way to meet people. You can also join sports clubs to meet people while staying fit, if you don’t have time to do it separately.