Living Cost Compare
Henderson

Nevada

$1,580/mo est.

vs
San Francisco

California

$2,750/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,580 in Henderson, NV versus $2,750 in San Francisco, CA. Overall, Henderson, NV is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than San Francisco, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,654 in Henderson, NV and $141,446 in San Francisco, CA — about 37% higher in San Francisco, CA. Nevada has no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Rent

Studio
$1,442
$1,560
+8% in San Francisco, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,437
$2,425
+69% in San Francisco, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,694
$2,982
+76% in San Francisco, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,982
$3,269
+65% in San Francisco, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$465,000
$1,380,500
+197% in San Francisco, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$88,654
$141,446
+60% in San Francisco, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$46,670
$74,260
+59% in San Francisco, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
42.5 yr
39.7 yr
+2.8 yr in Henderson, NV
Homeownership
65.6%
38.5%
+27.1 pp in Henderson, NV
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.8%
60.1%
+23.3 pp in San Francisco, CA
Avg Commute
24.7 min
31.2 min
+6.5 min in San Francisco, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
271.8
596.5
+119% in San Francisco, CA
Property Crime
1,725.7
3,962.2
+130% in San Francisco, CA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
69.4°F
57.3°F
+12.1°F in Henderson, NV
Annual Precipitation
4.2 in
23.6 in
+19.5 in in San Francisco, CA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.09/gal
$5.43/gal
+7% in San Francisco, CA

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs San Francisco.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — vs SF Muni (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.6
33.3
+144% in San Francisco, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$12.09
$20.72
+71% in San Francisco, CA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.82
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$2.04
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$7.36
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.01
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — West vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NV / CA)
6.85%
7.25%
+0.4 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
None
13.30%
+13.3 pp in CA

Henderson vs San Francisco — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Henderson or San Francisco?
Henderson, NV is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,580 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below San Francisco, CA's $2,750, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Henderson than in San Francisco?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Henderson versus $97,000 in San Francisco.
Which has lower taxes, Henderson or San Francisco?
Henderson is taxed under Nevada's rules (no state income tax and a 6.85% state sales tax); San Francisco under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).