San Francisco at a Glance

Accommodation in San Francisco

The apartment search is particularly stressful in San Francisco.

Many expats dream of living in San Francisco, with its liberal spirit and welcoming atmosphere. Still, life in San Francisco has its ups and downs. Read all about living in San Francisco in our city guide and learn about education, health and the much-dreaded apartment hunt.

Finding a place to live is one of the biggest hurdles for many expats on their move to San Francisco. Not only are the rents exceptionally high, the rental market is also incredibly tight. This will make it very hard for you to find a place to live, even with a big budget. We have some advice for expats, to prepare you for the apartment hunt in San Francisco.

The Apartment for a Small Budget

As we have mentioned above, San Francisco is indeed an expensive city. In fact, 2-bedroom rentals can go for about $2,000 or more. If the rent is a major concern for you, then we have some tips and tricks on how to find a relatively affordable place in the City by the Bay.

First of all, try to focus on affordable neighborhoods. Rents vary considerably between the different neighborhoods. To give you an example, Russian Hill is rather expensive compared to the city’s inner Sunset district for instance. Unfortunately, affordable housing is not always located in the most central or the nicest areas.

Once you have picked out the more affordable areas, you should try to narrow it down to those neighborhoods which best fit your lifestyle. For example, Noe Valley and the Mission District are sunnier than Outer Sunset. Use the Walk Score homepage to find out if there are cafés, restaurants and stores within walking distance from your dream apartment.

The Apartment Hunt

Once you’ve chosen a few neighborhoods, you can begin to search online and in local newspapers for listings by neighborhood, price and size. Aside from the traditional way of searching for an apartment, you need to have some tricks up your sleeve in a city like San Francisco. Drive or walk around and call right away if you see a “for rent” sign.

There is a lot to keep in mind when you search for an apartment in San Francisco. Some apartments or neighborhoods are located on steep hills. Ask yourself if you are ready to climb a hill each day on your way home. Also, you need to act fast and be aggressive but still polite. Only the savvy renters get the best apartments. Try to be prepared with cash or a check so that you can sign the lease right away if an opportunity opens up.

Tips and Tricks

Remember that rents are lower in far-flung areas like Bayview – Hunter’s Point or Outer Sunset while popular districts like the Mission or Castro District are very pricey. If you have a small budget, you need to sacrifice in terms of location or size (or both). One of the far-flung neighborhoods or districts in San Mateo County may make more sense for you, particularly if you move with your entire family.

You should also try to avoid brand new and historical buildings, as these are a lot more expensive than flat front apartment buildings. In addition, you should ask around. Your co-workers, friends or other expats may know of a great deal before it has been advertised. After all, in a city like San Francisco, you need to be on top of your game to find a nice and affordable place to live.