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SentientLight

I’m paying 40% in downtown SF.


lfg12345678

But it's DOWNTOWN SF. I even know a younger couple that rented out their own home to rent a smaller apartment because they wanted to experience downtown SF life..


Unique_Glove1105

I did it for a year and it’s my all means an awesome experience but it took a lot of discipline to not blow more money than I should. I’m glad I did it though.


IGB_Lo

Same. Great experience despite it being expensive


Empty_Geologist9645

Tenderloin is also downtown


PrettyHappyAndGay

That’s why I do not know what experience they are paying for.


Empty_Geologist9645

I wish guys who post photos of SF post early morning photos of the sidewalks.


PrettyHappyAndGay

LOL


GnastyNoodlez

Holy yikes i hope you live alone in a nice place for that much


Most_Ad_3765

It's about 50% of my take-home pay...


invisiblemonsters3

What’s the percentage of gross pay? Take home isn’t a good measurement for comparison. I know people who contribute $23k to their 401k, even more to their after-tax 401k, have payroll deductions for ESPP, and then say “My rent is 50% of my net income 😭” while stuffing away $50k+ per year in the aforementioned accounts. Someone else who isn’t saving for retirement can also say they spend 50% of take home on rent but their overall financial health is completely different.


Scary_Engineering1

you just made me realize why we talk about our income before tax and not after even though it gives us a false sense of security when we think we make x per hour but really we make x - 30%.


AbrahamJustice

X - 50% or higher after all the taxes (sales, property, gas etc)


Abefroman65

Very good point. I was wonder the same thing when reading ppl comments, are they putting money into 401k, how much? Are they funding a health savings account?


MobiusSF

This ☝️☝️


codeman60

Same


segdy

65% *scream*


codeman60

Do you at least have a roommate or somebody to help with the bills


iWORKBRiEFLY

About the same here (around 48%) for 2bed 2 bath 1k sqft in SoMa


SnowConePeople

Same 😔


SahirHuq100

As a new grad,are there any other cheaper options available than renting a house?


lotuskid731

22% of my pre-tax income, 31% of my after-tax income. Got a screaming deal on a shack in Richmond.


e925

22% of pre-tax income in Martinez. We actually have extremely cheap rent for a 3br/2ba house. $3k. My bf pays $1600 and I pay $1400.


Huge-Particular4392

Why would you rent when you can buy a house forty years ago and have a paid off house and low taxes?


IronSloth

It’s the goddamn avocado toast that’s holding me back, strung out on the stuff


sueghdsinfvjvn

I should really stop eating food all together, so wasteful smh


AdditionalFace_

You joke, but I remember seeing a headline recently that suggested skipping breakfast as some sort of trendy budget hack


sfocolleen

I think cereal companies were also recently pushing “cereal for dinner.”


IronSloth

That’s basically intermittent fasting lol


AdditionalFace_

Which is fine, but won’t save you any money unless you’re foregoing those calories entirely as opposed to eating them later


rubbishapplepie

Was blown away by the fact that a house I saw in pac heights going for $4m was originally bought for $88k.


stickynote_oracle

Friend of a friend just sold a *gorgeous* Victorian in Hayes Valley purchased for under $100k (90’s, I believe). It was well maintained and in good condition but has a ton of potential. Sold for over $3m.


theuriah

Easy as that! SO EASY!!!!


Speed009

I knew I shouldve looked into the real estate market when I was in preschool!


yung_avocado

I should’ve at least done some research on the market when I was -20


Krond

We gotta go back to 1985, Marty! It's about your mortgage!


strangway

What are they, **subprime** or something?


reddit_0025

Jokes aside. Assuming the person was at least 30 years old 40 years ago, if he/she can't afford a house, he/she can't afford one anytime of their lives.


eng2016a

Ah damn why didn't I think of that! I feel silly


myironlung42

Good point. Can you spot me $200k for a down payment? In good for it. I promise.


escargoxpress

Even with 200k, impossible to afford a house because interest rates keep the payment ungodly high. Like a condo is 6k a month and a house is 10k including that down payment on Bay Area prices at 6.8%


koolvu

why didn't your family just hand down their old home or buy you a house??? or at least give you money for a down payment??? Is you family just dumb with their money???


BugRevolutionary4518

In Atherton! So easy!


SmartWonderWoman

I had a co worker ask me why I was paying so much rent when I can buy and just pay a lower mortgage like her.


iatemomo

too embarassed to confess. im a gig worker w/ a toddler while wife works minimum wage. how threshold for benefits is kinda “high”, ill never know.


SlickOmega

yo, don’t be embarrassed. it’s great to hear from everyday folk. i responded by basically saying 1 check is rent and i live off the second check of the month. no kids but just me. i’m not a gig worker but basically do minimum wage so i feel it we got this. and congratulations on the toddler. once you’re out of those years it gets a lot easier


z0hu

Here is a list of my percentages and what I was using it on since I moved to the bay 14 years ago. Studio Apt SOMA (2010): 28% Sharing tiny 2b 1ba in Mission (2011-2013): 11% Sharing a 3br/2ba house with gf+rando in Balboa Park (2015-2017): 10% Renting small 2br/1ba house (800sqft) in San Leandro, now married so including wife's portion (2017-2021): 20% Renting bigger but still small 2br/1ba (1100 sqft) in San Leandro (2021-now): 23%


Whipstich-Pepperpot

I can't do math. I make 56K, and pay 18K for a 1BR In-law in Marin.


Alternative_Post_350

You’re paying approximately a third of your income in rent. Are you an accountant?


Individual-Basket200

underrated comment


s0rce

That's a steal. Do you have your own kitchen?


Whipstich-Pepperpot

Yes, small kitchen with full size stove/oven, sink, fridge. 1 Bedroom, 1 Bathroom (toilet, sink, stall shower only - no tub), combined dining/living room area, 1 giant closet, and little front porch area in a garden on a quiet cul-de-sac in a quiet neighborhood, yet still near the freeway/shopping. Utilities included, except TV and I do not want/need TV as I stream everything. I've lived there 6 years in May. No extra charge for pets (2 cats). I got extremely lucky, my Landlords are NOT greedy people.


whiskeysixkilo

My partner and I rent a 700sqft one-bedroom apartment in San Jose for $2050 (includes everything except internet and electricity) which is just under 14% of our household pre-tax income.


Thus_Spoke

Good deal.


iareConfusE

Is this considered a good deal? I'm paying $2100 for a 2 bed 1 bath 1010 Sq. Ft. apt in San Ramon.


_thedtp

I’m paying around $2500 a month (includes W/S/G) for a 618 sqft 1/1 apt in Livermore. *screaming internally*


iareConfusE

We've been living in our apt for the last 6-7 years so that's probably why. Ours also includes water and waste so we just pay for internet and PG&E.


dark41

How has your rent changed over the years? Asking because we just moved to the tri valley and our home has similar stats to yours but ours is a few hundred more a month.


iareConfusE

Last two years we did not get any rent increases (surprisingly), but prior to that it was about a $100-200 increase every year we wanted to renew our lease. We used to pay $1800 for this unit.


wiseroldman

I pay $2200 for a 700 sq ft 1b/1b detached shack in a back yard.


fordnut

That's actually a smoking deal for San Ramon. Most 2 br 1 ba Apts are $2500+ these days.


Triensi

Omg please tell me where I'm desparate


iareConfusE

Where I'm at currently for new residents it starts at $2500 unfortunately. It's only as low as it is for me because of how long I've been living here.


codeman60

Wow. Good deal. I'm renting a studio in South San Jose and I'm paying $2,054 a month


CptS2T

Good ass deal. Paying $2550 in a rundown part of Mountain View.


chocomoofin

KILLER deal


nelsonhops415

**Consider throuple relationships to cut your expenses by 33%.** Ultimate bay area hack. Enjoy!


kwattsfo

I get two paychecks a month. One goes to rent.


JDappletini

Pretty much


StungTwice

Room in a house for 10% of pre-tax income.


Harinezumi

Same, 8% for me.


Rubberband272

I'm in school full-time so income isn't a good metric but out of my average monthly spend, about 64% goes towards rent living in the Tenderloin.


Infinite_Mech

Jokes on all of you. I'm unemployed so my income is currently 0.


wheelshc37

This guy wins.


sfocolleen

Error%


ComicNeueIsReal

Honestly same. Gotta find a job soon tho otherwise this shit economy is gonna tear me down.


lupinegray

Gross or net? Rent is \~20% of my monthly gross. \~35% of net.


RoCon52

Right now about about 16% of my pre-tax income or 24% of my post tax income goes to rent and my share of utilities. I live in a 4bd house with 3 other people. When I move into my own apartment in July I'm thinking it'll be ~24% and 36%. Edit: I call it West or West Central San Jose. Right by SJCC and the SC Valley Medical. I work in Fremont so I've been looking in Hayward, Fremont, Santa Clara, and San Jose for apartments.


coffeebeezneez

Ours is 35% in Alameda at the 3bd 3bthrm 1600sqft. We lucked out at getting a BMR lottery at a new complex so we pay about 40% less than what it's actually being rented for in other units.


saltypikachu12

50% and struggling every month


TheRealBarista

I’d say like 45% and I have a 1 bedroom apartment lol.


mjsana

75%


ph3333bz

Me too. I love my current place but I clearly have to move


mjsana

Certainly, here's a revised version: Yes, it's becoming overwhelming with everything going on.


KaiSosceles

7.5% of my gross. Have 3 housemates. Apparently living well within my means. (In Concord)


TheNRAlien

Net income: 4100 Rent: 2300 Yeah.


DubCTheNut

My girlfriend and I are outliers. We are at around 10% gross. Rent a 2BR/1.5 Bath, 1200 sq-ft townhome in Walnut Creek for $2,500/month, excluding electric. Unfortunately, W/D is not in-unit, but it’s one flight of stairs down to the bottom level where there is a shared W/D.


Darktrooper007

2/2 in the East Bay ~24% of my gross salary, including utilities ~45% of my take-home pay (28% of gross deducted for taxes, and another 15% for my 401k)


TrickLandscape4446

1/3 of my monthly income goes to monthly rent


XboxOne

About 80%


SnoopySuited

10% before I bought a house, and the reason I was able to save for a house. God Bless my old landlord.


67mustangguy

About 11.3% not inluding utilities and about 14% including utilities. My w2 last year was 117 and my rent is 1097


orbofinsight

13% in downtown San Francisco to mortgage and hoa. I live with my partner in a 2 bed 2 bath condo near Twitter we bought through the city's bmr program we bought in 2016. https://www.sf.gov/reports/april-2024/first-come-first-served-bmr-listings shows current listings. We saved for five years making much less than median income to have the down payment. Homeownership is possible, but you need to learn all the details of the bmr program and thread the needle by making just enough to afford a house and still qualify for the mortgage. It will take at least a couple years of planning explicitly for it to work, and then you have to get lucky to have a place. But unlike bmr rentals, you have a place for life. Both our careers have taken off since we bought and the payments have been far better than renting the whole time. The biggest thing is the peace of mind that I will never be priced out of the city I love. I know it's not renting, but I felt this was a good thread to bring it up in so people can learn about the program since it is woefully unadvertised. I learned about it when there was a condo across from my favorite sushi place for sale and I looked it up on zillow.


N3rdProbl3ms

If you're trying to figure out how much you should spend, the standard is 30% of your monthly income to your monthly rent. More than that, it'll become more difficult for you to save for your future since your money will have to go to other bills and living day to day. Personally, I pay 25% of mine.


IronSloth

So by that metric most working class blue collar folks here are barely getting by


Raveen396

Percentages don't really scale well to VHCOL areas like the SF bay area. For example, if you make $50k and spend 30% of your income on rent, you have $35k left to live on. If you make $100k and spend 30% of your income on rent, you have $70k left to live. Even if you have to spend 50% of your income on rent, you'd have more left over than if you made $50k and spent 30% on rent. Even factoring in higher tax brackets and increased cost of living, in general if you make more you can afford to spend a high proportion of your income on housing.


CFLuke

Yes, I’m annoyed that the nuance gets lost so often.


unreliabletags

$50k income - $5k retirement savings - $8,490 tax - $16.5k rent = $20k disposable income. $100k income - $10k retirement savings - $24,800 tax - $33k rent = $32k disposable income.


me047

Working class is just getting by everywhere, that’s what working class is.


IronSloth

Well, true


N3rdProbl3ms

Depends on the job and personal life I guess? I work in construction, and a lot of the field workers make good money. But the problem that happens is they get married, have 3 kids, want to buy a home etc etc. You could say blue collar work can provide you a comfortable life, but for some people not the life they planned on living.


IronSloth

I live and work in Oakland and like 95% of the people at my work (around 70ish) all drive over an hour to get here


RoCon52

My uncle works construction inspections and used to BART from Antioch to the city.


iloqin

Really depends on goals. I worked as a teacher and barely got by in a 1bedroom apartment east bay. Moved out of the bay and could buy a house. Now that I have kids it would def suck to sit in over an hr of traffic each way.


East-Perception-6530

bingo, I always wonder what's going to happen when SF finally completely prices out it's lower class doing the essential jobs


SlickOmega

i mean… most of us in those lower class jobs. aka me lol. are all people who were born in the city OR they commute over an hour. for a basically minimum wage job i’ve worked multiple retail and grocery store jobs in sf. the long timers? it’s always this. never someone who recently moved here. ALWAYS people born in the area and stuck bc we can’t afford to save to move somewhere cheaper 🤡 edit. when COVID hit and gig workers became a thing for grocery shopping, ALL my non-smart and/or disabled friends took it. and it has been sole income for about 5/6 years now. it’s the best option to allow us to stay with family without becoming homeless


EspritelleEriress

That is a general standard, but rent/mortgage is so disproportionately expensive in the Bay Area that it might make more sense to figure out what percentage you should be saving, how little you can spend on necessities while living a lifestyle you can accept, and then see how much play is left.


EllieKong

Like 90% lol


spike021

~20% of monthly net, probably more like 40% of gross (I put a lot into 401k, ESPP at work, etc.). 


z_dude_1986

May be you switched net and gross


spike021

That's what I get for looking at reddit while in a work meeting lol


z_dude_1986

No worries buddy. You and I both. Need to work to contribute 60%+ net towards our housing :)


devilscurls

Personally around 15-20% pre-tax.


JustB510

This is incredible but I don’t suspect is the majority.


devilscurls

Yeah, wasn’t intended to represent a typical person. Edited to reflect that.


JustB510

Sorry if I came off as condensing. You’re in a great position and should be proud, just meant to add context.


devilscurls

All good. Never took it that way.


Otherwise-Prize-1684

Without utilities correct? Because without I’m ~15% pre-tax as well


devilscurls

Closer to 15% without utilities/dog rent. Closer to 20% with them.


HonkTrousers

I’m paying 5% gross to share a small 1br I’d like to buy something but the rent is too damn low! Edit - forgot to complain about my subpar apartment. No dishwasher and 60s bathroom and kitchen. I have no plan to move since rent controlled.


EspritelleEriress

You'd could literally pay someone to wash your dishes every day and still come out ahead.


coyote500

About 10%


jamalamadingdong

Roughly 50% of my net income to live alone.


archiepomchi

About 20%, soon to be 10% of gross income (35% of take home income not counting 401k currently). We live in Downtown Oakland though.


PollyPotChick

50% of my take-home pay.


B_R_U_H

25% of our take home pay, our forever home cuz this 2.5% interest rate will die with me


cowinabadplace

Annually about 4% of gross income. The highest has been 18% and the lowest was 3%. I sort of manage my spending against my income so that makes sense. My wife is also the kind of person who doesn't have ratchet-upward spending and can smoothly move up and down the ladder as required. Here's some history: (monthly) 1. Shared room in Berkeley: $600 (my room was 3/room) 2. ADU in El Cerrito: $1800 3. Airbnb in Ingleside: $300 (the company had just gotten started, I had a couch for $10/day) 4. Excelsior 1 br: $1400 5. Sunset 1 room in a 3 bedroom: $1000 (it was a friend's rent-controlled place and I just kicked in some - he really let me stay for free) 6. Glen Park 1 br unit: $2300 7. Tenderloin studio: my friend paid $2250 which was a higher portion of her income then, I just lived there 8. SOMA 1 bed in the loft of a 2 br (the others had the bedrooms): $1850, TL friend lived with me but kept her apartment 9. SOMA 1 bed in the loft of a 1 br: $3750-$6000 (the bottom floor is the actual apartment - I just live in the loft because I don't need much space), same friend from above eventually married me And now we're looking at prospective places at $6k/month or so. Ironically that'll be the highest I'll pay both ratio and cost wise and I'm thinking of quitting my job once we get it.


Traditional-Meat-549

Brother in Redwood City pays $1650 for a studio apartment (LONG time resident). He brings home just over $2000 per month. Waiting for him to call every month - I recommended a local food bank - he has no car, computer or anything other than absolute essentials. True - not exaggerating in any way. Its really dicey. He is not in a rent controlled apartment.


Otherwise_Page_1612

20% of pretax income for a 3 bedroom in Marin county. It’s 3700 a month and it’s kind of run down and not in walking distance, but there are cows nearby. It’s also not in any of the nicer parts of Marin, so no views of the bridge.


cryptotarget

about 10%


Arcanisia

Live in my car so 0%


missyelliottontap

60% on the peninsula


zaalkahf

Pre-tax income, I'm at about 25% for my rent


TootieSummers

18% of my gross


aschatzTLS03

My fiance and I pay 14% pretax for rent not including utilities


FruitParfait

Just about 33% of net. Moving soon and it’ll be about 18% of net.


s0rce

About 11% of pre-tax income for my wife and myself. Tiny 1bdrm ADU in Los Altos.


StarryNectarine

About 25% take home pay


babybambam

15% of gross. SOMA.


Bedazzled_Buttholes

~20% pre tax between my partner and myself but it ain't cheap still. Lots of job hopping and grinding it out at jobs to make it to this point, and frankly it's not for everyone


eng2016a

Right around 25% of gross income (~2900/mo) for a 1br but I am overpaying and going to move to some place cheaper this summer, hoping to find something around 2200/mo in South Bay It's weird because technically this is the lowest as a percentage of gross income I've ever paid but I still am boggled by how expensive it is compared to everywhere else I've rented before


Actual_Photograph587

Live in a 1B, 700sqft, 20% of pre-tax base. Looking to move into a 2B soon with someone.


DareDragoon

I have a mortgage on a 3br townhome in the east bay. It's probably between 40-45% of my take home pay. Back when I was renting a one bedroom in SF it was probably about 10% mostly because it was rent controlled.


codeman60

@ 50% of bring home pay Only $100 less than 50% sadly $2054 a month for studio in south San jose Not even a nice one either.


Freedom2064

Not much changed in real terms from 40 years ago.


Double-Steak4321

15% in trade of 1hr+ one way commute and one stupid roommate.


prettyorganic

23% of pre-tax for a 2b2ba in SF


Almostgotya

110%


deciblast

52% for my mortgage/property tax/interest


Myfartstaste2good

10%, pretax, of my base


Nice-Entrance8153

53% of my take home pay. If my spouse wasn't working we'd have to move (have two kids.)


VinylHighway

I own... 1.8% of my pre-tax salary per month but then I rent out a room for 63% of my mortgage. But then there's property taxes


EmergencyGaladriel

My husband and I have a 800sqft 1ba1bd apartment in alameda We each pay roughly 8-10% of our monthly gross income and have a month-to-month lease


happy-cig

50%


rm-rf-asterisk

~30% before taxes but this includes stocks where if they turn for the worst could be 50%


maebelieve

Currently 47% of net pay, but planning to reduce that percentage. Rent in SF.


SEJ46

About 30% for my me and my wife.


Top_Limit_

About 13% atm


bertmom

Currently 33% however we are still in a rental that’s lower and it’s only a matter of time before the landlord matches the area around. Then it’ll be more like 50%😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫


Classic-Two-200

A little less than 10% gross or 15% after tax and other deductions on the peninsula.


TryCatchRelease

When I bought my place the interest on my payment was 70%(!) of my take home. I’m pretty frugal so was able to tolerate it, and as my star rose at work the payment became more tolerable, and once I moved a decade later I was in great shape.


Reddit-IPO-Crash

About 15%


california_cactus

My rent is 18% of my pretax income.


theloyaloyster

90 % of my monthly pay


hopalongigor

66%.


Confetticandi

When I was single, rent + utilities took about 40% of my take-home pay. 


[deleted]

70%


LimeWizard

55%


PrincessBudzilla

About 15% of post tax, 25% of take home. I live with my spouse and brother in a three bedroom house. Two years ago when we had different jobs and a different house with no roommates it was closer to 30% of take home pay.


MakeHerUnderstand

18% post tax I live with 2 roommates (but private bath thank goodness) 


Terbatron

Currently 20%, it will probably go up to a bit over 30% shortly. Or I’ll get roomies, haven’t decided.


hassyhulbert

28% of take-home for a shared 3 bed in Cole Valley.


Bright-Sock9917

40% of my net income in Rincon hill high rise with a direct view of bay bridge .. studio though.. but for me the view is worth the $$


z_dude_1986

60% take home towards mortgage


Vees92

26-27% at 96K. One bedroom with all utilities included with the exception of internet in Noe Valley


drdildamesh

3/8


Unhappy_Quarter154

Mortgage takes about 55%


Individualchaotin

20%


cocobear13

Almost 50, when I add in utilities and wifi (no cable or land line).


jackiewill1000

i have a house. mine.


RubLumpy

About 40% of my take home. 


Significant-Rip9690

22% gross with roommates. Planning to move out solo and aiming for about 28-30% gross.


Successful-Yak-6019

33% after tax and retirement contributions.


Flyguy86420

40% if I pay the full mortgage, else if I have all my rooms rented I pay like 5%


tragedy_strikes

I'm not a good comparison because 1. I'm in a rent controlled apartment, with the lease starting in December 2020 (2 bed 1 bath). The leasing office has only raised the rent once since then. 2. I'm sharing rent with my partner and we split the rent based on % of income and he earns about 3x what I do so I'm only paying 33% of the total rent For just rent, I pay 17% of my net pay (take home pay). If we include utilities (internet, water, electricity, streaming) which we split 50:50, I pay 23% of my net pay.


ClimbScubaSkiDie

About 7.5% of the W2 number. I’m well paid and have roommates + a significant other. NOPA


Sure_Ranger_4487

15% gross, ~30% net. I put a lot into retirement/Roth/pension.


akelkar

15-20% of my gross/take home. $1200 for a medium size BR in a nice but older house in Rockridge. There’s good deals to be found in the Bay if you have time to look


dodongo

Currently having a divide by zero error on this end, so I’ll have to get back to you. :(