How to Survive a Move to San Francisco

One of the most expensive places to set down roots, San Francisco captivates many with its charm, eccentricities and beauty. Across the globe, San Francisco and the surrounding Bay Area have become known for these features and many have decided to set down roots, in spite of the high cost of living. It is imperative to consider several factors before making the decision to move and deciding when to move to San Francisco.

If you are an established professional with a substantial savings account and a job already lined up in San Francisco or a surrounding city, this How To guide isn't for you. This guide is for those of us in the working class or the entry-level professional. Those of us who do not have the resources to live for an extended period of time without a job or those of us freshly out of college need to start off on the right foot in San Francisco. It is very much a "sink or swim" city due to the high cost of living and competitive job market. If you start off your stay in San Francisco wanting of money, a job or a place to live, you have a steep, Lombard style hill to climb. The steps below offer a guide as to how to live in San Francisco if you are from modest means and are looking to live in one of the world's most popular and beautiful cities.

If you or someone you know is planning on moving the San Francisco, the first and most important criterion to consider is money. Whether or not you have a money cushion to fall back on provides you with an immediate answer to the question of whether or not you should be moving in the first place. If you plan to move in three months or less, you'd better already have money budgeted and saved. Planning is essential. Estimate you will need at least three months' worth of rent, utilities, food and other expenses saved up. Even if you already have a job lined up in San Francisco, you need this cushion as a safety net. Sometimes jobs don't work out. Maybe you'll realize the organization is run like a totalitarian regime or perhaps your boss immediately has it out for you. More often than not, new jobs are lost because the company made a mistake and couldn't afford to hire you. Layoffs are prevalent all over the country; however, consider the Dot Com boom and subsequent bust of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. Many people had flocked to the Bay Area for jobs that were literally here one day and gone the next. This is an extreme example but it is important to keep this in mind: a new job is not a guarantee of job security.

If you do not have a job lined up, you definitely need at least three-months' worth of savings. It could take at least that long to find the job that's right for you. When you are starting out in a new city, the last thing you want is to settle for a job just because you need the money. That isn't going to start you off on the right foot financially, nor is it going to make your stay in San Francisco a happy one - at least not in the near term. Give yourself time to find a job you want and are excited about. I'll mention it again later, but Craigslist.org is a fantastic resource for job seekers. Most Bay Area companies and organizations advertise for jobs on this site due to its outstanding popularity.

If you plan on moving into your own place is San Francisco, the cheapest studio apartments run just under $1,000; however, these are rooms in buildings and areas that would not provide an ideal living situation for the average person. Estimate you will spend around $1,200 a month for a decent studio, $1,400 to $1,600 for a one-bedroom and upwards of $1,700 for a two-bedroom. These estimates are for your run-of-the-mill, decent, but by no means stellar apartments in the more affordable districts of San Francisco (Sunset, Richmond, Mission, Pacific Heights, Haight/Ashbury, Western Addition, etc.). Districts such as the Marina, Cow's Hollow, Russian Hill, Seacliff, parts of Pacific Heights and Nob Hill will run you much more. There are the odd exceptions, however. I rented a one-bedroom apartment in a furnished Spanish-style building in the Outer Richmond District for $1,800 a month. I also rented a one-bedroom in the exclusive Russian Hill area for only $1,300 a month and it had parking. Neither of these situations is common, so don't bet on finding a diamond in the rough.

If you are planning on finding roommates, you'll have much better luck finding a decent place in a decent area at a manageable price. The premier place for finding roommates - or apartments for that matter - is Craigslist.org. This web site provides many resources but the most widely utilized are the apartment and roommate search options. You can email back and forth, swap pictures of the apartment, room and of your future roommate(s). A multiple dwelling unit provides you not only with cash savings but also with an opportunity to make friends in a new area who will most likely act as a wellspring of knowledge regarding San Francisco culture and entertainment.

Utilities aren't much more expensive or different than other large cities, so your estimation based on your current location is probably a pretty safe bet, just add ten-percent as a safety feature. Also budget for food, your existing credit card and other expenses and also, importantly, public transportation. You can spend anywhere from $40 a month for a bus pass to $150 a month for Bay Are Rapid Transit (BART) rides (if you are commuting in or out of town daily). Taxis are hard to find and are often only found in downtown or other highly trafficked areas. And, about half of the time you call ahead for a taxi it doesn't show up. The MUNI bus system runs all over the city and the light rail system runs up and down most of downtown and into the Sunset and Mission Districts. The buses are pretty reliable and monthly passes aren't too expensive; therefore, most of San Francisco's inhabitants pack the buses at all hours of the day and night. If you plan on driving your car, you might rethink that once you attempt to park anywhere in the city. There are parking lots all over that cost between $14 and $40 a day; however, they are often full and even $14 a day adds up quickly. Street parking is almost impossible in many San Francisco neighborhoods and, in the off chance you find a parking space you'll most likely encounter a meter with a one to two hour limit or you will need a residency permit to park in the area.

As an addendum to the parking discussion, ensuring you find an apartment close to your new job isn't as necessary as you might think. Public transportation can take you from one side of the city to the other - let's say the Financial District - in 45 minutes (not a terribly long commute by Bay Area standards). A bus ride from the center of San Francisco, let's say Van Ness and Pacific Ave., can take 45 minutes as well, even though it is seventy-five percent closer to downtown. This is due to overcrowding on buses and the increased frequency of stops closer to the downtown area. The need to let one, two or three packed buses pass before you can even think about squeezing on the next is not uncommon. So, don't look just at distance when discerning where to live in relation to where you work; also look at the public transportation options.

One last item to consider, although it is by no means a deal-breaker for most, is the weather. If you desire a warm and sunny climate, San Francisco is not your town. San Francisco is usually foggy and - although not downright cold - it is chilly (think sweater weather). On one of the rare sunny days the city has (more often occurring in April and September) the light is luminous and the views are spectacular. The city has often been regarded by some of the top photographers as having the best light in the world. These days are few and far between but worth the wait. The East Bay area includes such as Oakland, Berkeley, Hayward and El Cerrito. These cities offer a sunnier and warmer climate, albeit only slightly more so than San Francisco. They are located close to the city and are easily accessible by BART. Rent tends to be cheaper in these places as well; however, there is some pride in addressing your letters with the San Francisco return address.

Once you have established yourself in the city, found a job and started to make friends, you can really start to enjoy what the entire city and the surrounding area has to offer. You are steps from some of the most beautiful views, popular art and music events, and world-famous cuisine. Outside of the city you can find beautiful hiking and mountain biking opportunities in the North and East Bay, wine tours and tasting in Napa and Sonoma, and Lake Tahoe and Yosemite are just a drive away. Despite the steep price tag, San Francisco is an amazing and culture-rich city that offers more than just a big city atmosphere. Using the advice above, you can comfortably and self-assuredly become a San Franciscan without too much fuss or stress. Good luck on your move and I promise you'll love it here.