San Francisco - CA vs San Diego - CA: 2026 Housing Comparison

What this means for buyers

San Francisco - CA is roughly 21% more expensive than San Diego - CA in typical home value. Homes sit on market longer in San Diego - CA (25 days vs 16), suggesting more buyer leverage there. San Diego - CA sees more listings with price cuts (28.8% vs 21.2%), a sign of softening seller expectations.

San Francisco vs San Diego: what the numbers say

At today's 7.32% average 30-year rate with 20% down, the typical home would cost about $6,157 a month in principal and interest in San Francisco and $5,094 in San Diego, a gap of $1,063 a month.

Typical rent runs $3,445 in San Francisco and $2,967 in San Diego, so the mortgage payment alone is 1.8 times rent in San Francisco and 1.7 times rent in San Diego, before taxes and insurance.

Home prices are 27.1 years of rent in San Francisco and 26.0 in San Diego; the lower ratio in San Diego means buying there is cheaper relative to renting.

Over the last 23 months typical values moved -0.6% in San Francisco and -1.8% in San Diego; over just the last three months the change was +1.4% in San Francisco and +0.3% in San Diego.

Homes sell for 106.1% of list price in San Francisco and 99.3% in San Diego, after 16 and 25 days on the market, with price cuts on 21% and 29% of listings. All three signs point the same way: buyers have more room to negotiate in San Diego.

The number of homes for sale is down 13% on a year ago in San Francisco and down 6% on a year ago in San Diego.

Payments assume a 30-year fixed loan at the Freddie Mac weekly average rate (2026-10-22), 20% down, principal and interest only. Home values, rents and market figures are Zillow Research metro data.