According to a recent report from the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco is the 4th most expensive city in the United States. The report takes into account a variety of factors that affect the general cost of living for San Francisco residents, including rent, food, commuting to work, and others. Using the cost-of-living index, the report was able to use a more complete picture to determine where San Francisco stands in relation to other cities in terms of how affordable—or unaffordable—it is to live there.
The most expensive place to live in the United States was Manhattan, and it was followed in the rankings by Brooklyn and Honolulu. Many San Francisco residents may breathe a sigh of relief that at least they’re not dealing with the costs of those areas. In fact, some aspects of living in San Francisco are cheaper than those other cities. For example, San Francisco’s population density and relatively small area means that businesses are closer to residential areas, and commutes are shorter as a result. This means that San Francisco residents may catch a break on the costs of getting back and forth to work.
But this doesn’t change the fact that San Francisco is an expensive place to live. Rent prices are significantly higher than other cities in the country, as well as basic services and even retail products. Plus, unlike Los Angeles, San Francisco residents spend more on utilities due to the harsher climate and colder winters.
But most San Francisco residents claim that the cost of living in the City by the Bay is worth it because of San Francisco’s rich heritage, cultural diversity, and thriving art scene. Those considering moving to San Francisco are encouraged to write out a cost-benefit analysis, taking into account both the pros and the cons of living in Northern California’s most recognizable (and costly) metropolis.
Many in San Francisco have tried to find alternate means of financial help in order to survive. Like most cities in America, the San Francisco short term loan industry has seen a significant jump in business since the Great Recession. In particular, collateral loans are a popular choice for many bay area residents, since they allow people to get loans in exchange for the temporary forfeiture of something they own to a lender. Collateral loans typically don’t require a credit check, and the process to get them is usually very fast. One of the most popular types of collateral loan is called a car title loan, which involves giving the lender your car title in an effort to procure a loan. A great deal of San Francisco citizens find this to be an attractive option, primarily because it doesn’t actually involve parting with their cars. Among the leaders in the California Title Loans Industry, Trading Financial Credit (http://tfciloan.com) and Car Title Loans California (http://cartitleloanscalifornia.com) remain neck and neck, with both expanding throughout the Bay Area during recent years.
However San Franciscans choose to meet the high costs of living in America’s fourth most expensive city, chances are it’s not going to get any cheaper any time soon. One thing’s for sure: with the wide variety of financial services available to San Franciscans, there’s never a reason to fret about paying the bills.
Sarah Waters lives in LA and writes about financial topics and consumer news. Many of her articles can be found on http://acartitleloan.com