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Buzz Feed
2 days ago
- Business
- Buzz Feed
San Francisco Living Costs: Can You Afford Comfort?
Looking at the cost of coffee and avocado toast these days, I began to ponder over my spending habits and what purpose it served. I very soon realized my desire for convenience at every step of the way is really hurting my wallet. It goes without saying—our current spending habits are born out of convenience, but realistically not possible. And I think we need to rethink how we get by on a day-to-day basis without the need to get an iced coffee every time we step out the door. In order to see if we can truly leave behind these worldly pleasures and live more reasonably, I decided to research how much it would cost to live practically in San Francisco for ONE DAY. Why San Francisco? It is an attractive hub for newcomers, with a strong job market, opportunities, and Silicon Valley close by. And it is also pretty popular for families, with a bustling culture and good education. However, it is also one of the most expensive cities to live in in the US. Given this, I read up on the average rent, public transport prices, and miscelleanous expenses I would need to know in order to spend in one day in this city. Using sites like Zillow, Uber Eats, Reddit, and the SFMTA, I was able to come up with a rough estimate of what it would take to survive a day in San Francisco. So without further ado, here is the breakdown! First, the rent: According to Zillow, the average rent for all property types in San Francisco comes to $3500. This comes down to $116.6 per day. And while I am aware that rent is not paid daily, for the purpose of this article, it makes sense to add it in to see the full round up of expenses. And in addition to rent, the electricity bill also takes up quite an amount on the bill. According to Energy Sage, San Francisco residents spend 18% more than National levels on electricity bills, paying around $259 per month. Taking this average per month, the price of the electricity bill on the daily rounds up to $9. Moving on to the next necessity in any major cosmopolitan city: public transportation. The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency offers monthly passes on the Clipper card. For an adult, a monthly pass with access to the Cable car (which has unlimited rides on all Muni vehicles for the calendar month) costs $86 per month. Breaking that down, it is $2 per day. For those who don't opt for the monthly pass, a single-day pass for all Muni vehicles costs $5.75. Public transport is quite affordable with $2 a day with the monthly passes. Although not all residents may choose public transport, given that the city is quite walkable irrespective of the hilly terains. Like this redditor correctly says, "Yep. Walkability isn't really a measure of "can you easily cross the whole city on foot" and is more "in this city, can you navigate daily life on foot?" So if you live in Telegraph Hill, it's not about whether you can quickly get to a neighborhood on the other side of town without a car, it's whether or not you have the amenities needed to support yourself within walking distance on pedestrian-friendly roads. Most parts of SF ace that test." However, if someone were to consider taking an Uber to travel within the city, the average cost ranges from $20-50 for a single ride. You can expect that to double if you change the car to UberXL. If I were traveling normally without knowing any better, I would've taken the Uber any day to make it on time and comfortably. But after seeing these prices? I'm just going to walk. Moving on to the third priority of the day: food! Before I get into the breakdown of prices that I have estimated, I will share this redditor's take on food prices in this city: Taking into account this breakdown, I took it upon myself to see what the delivery prices are in the city using Uber Eats. Here is the breakdown: Uber Eats: Wingstop delivery in 15-30 mins in Downtown San Francisco Order: $21.67 Delivery fee: $0.49 Taxes: $7.75 Total: $29.91 Now if you were to cook one meal for the day, assuming the bare minimum ingredients required, this is how much one would spend on groceries from Costco Wholesale: $7 for free-range eggs $24 for Kirkland Chicken thighs $8 for Cauliflour and Broccoli florets each ($16) $20 for Basmati rice Total: $67 But what would the actual cost for just that one meal of chicken fried rice? Say you used two eggs from the dozen tray for the fried rice, it would come up to roughly $1.20. You used two chicken thighs, it comes up to half a packet. This would round up to $6. If you used half a cauliflower and broccoli, the total of each half would be $4. Finally, for the fried rice, if you used 1 cup from the pound of rice you bought, it would cost $4. So the total of that one meal for the day would actually cost you: $15. This would, of course, increase or decrease depending on the food you cook, the veggies you need, the quantity, and which store you visit. If you buy from Whole Foods, it may be more expensive. Hypothetically considering that I have ordered from these apps for lunch, and groceries reuqired for one meal, living in downtown San Francisco, the money I'd spend in total on food is $44.91— which is within the $50 range as mentioned in the thread above, but reasonable given grocery shopping. If we were to add in the random snacks, drinks, and total grocery budget, it might just exceed well beyond $150. Now, let's move on to the miscelleanous expenses (phone data, grooming, activities): Of course, these prices may differ for brands, products, and a person's lifestyle. With the research I have conducted, I have taken the minimum price for each of the following, and compiled a list. Here is the breakdown: The AT&T data package for 12 months is $25 per month. Which rounds up to $1 per day. For a good haircut, you can expect the minimum price to be around $40 + tip: $45 If you want to work out, the cheapest option for the gym is the YMCA, where the membership is $80 per month. which comes rounds up to $3 per day. And finally—even as a local, if you want to visit a museum, say the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, it costs $30 per adult. Public toilets are free of cost, which is life-saving! This is the list of expenses that I could arrive at, thinking as a local from San Francisco. Here is the total cost of a day in San Francisco: $250.91. If we were to exclude the rent and electricity which is not paid daily, it would come down to $125—which is still pretty high to be surviving on the bare necessities in San Francisco. With the average salary per year in San Francisco being $95,265, navigating a day in this city while trying keeping it strictly about basic needs, is pretty expensive to me. I have not factored in the avocado toasts, the coffees, the drinks out with friends, the dates—let alone raising a child. Yes, the quote I have mentioned may be lower for some with different lifestyles. But the biggest expense that add to this list are rent and food, and those prices don't seem to cut down. If anything, this break down confirms one thing: affording convenience and little 'iced latte' treats on a daily basis, is near impossible and might just make me very broke. SNL / Giphy / Via
San Francisco Chronicle
5 days ago
- General
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: Suggestions for how S.F. Muni can solve its budget problem
Regarding 'Muni report: Difficulty of getting voters to approve tax measure 'should not be taken lightly'' (San Francisco, July 15): Muni's financial problems seem to be a constant concern. I live in Oakland and ride Muni frequently. It is my observation that probably 50% of the passengers don't tap the fare readers. How many are not paying? I'm sure Muni has more accurate numbers, but let's think about how to solve this problem. Making sure people pay their fare for riding could go a long way to solving Muni's deficit problems, and it wouldn't have to cut as many routes, raise taxes or go through any of the other budget proposals it is considering. Michael Coleman, Oakland A fairer tax Regarding 'Muni report: Difficulty of getting voters to approve tax measure 'should not be taken lightly'' (San Francisco, July 15): The Muni Funding Working Group has evaluated the potential for a parcel tax, which has previously been implemented as a flat-rate tax in San Francisco. Yet why should the owners of a small two-bedroom home shoulder the same tax burden as a mansion on Pacific Heights, or even more strikingly, the same as the Chase Center? There is another form of parcel tax based on square footage, known as a variable rate parcel tax, which is inherently fairer. While a variable tax could require effort to introduce, it could potentially raise more than enough to fund a robust Muni system. Alice Mosley, San Francisco Take Half Dome seriously Regarding 'The scariest part of Yosemite's famous Half Dome cables isn't the climb itself' (Outdoors, July 6): The story reminded me of the terrific experience I had on my first ascent in 2001 with my daughter, who was 10. Climbers should be reasonably fit, know their abilities, wear appropriate boots and clothing, and bring sufficient water. Half Dome is not a particularly difficult climb, but we had plenty of eye-rolls at the ill-prepared who struggled up the mountain, some wearing sandals and carrying a small bottle of imported water. The recklessness endangered everyone. Many people seem determined to do things beyond their capabilities, likely encouraged by social media. There's a lot of stuff out there trying to kill you. Best to give them your full attention and respect. Roger Drosd, San Francisco Play hardball, Democrats When will the Democrats realize that playing fair against an opponent who constantly cheats is a recipe for disaster? Look where it has gotten us. Wake up, Democrats, and fight back! Stop the steal I'm MADA (make America a democracy again). I'm scared. When universities and educational systems are forced to change their curriculum, when federal agents arrest citizens based on the way they look and when an executive order is issued to circumvent the law, it is an authoritarian government. I don't care what party you belong to. What we are seeing is a move toward a dictatorship. We need to vote for our democracy in 2026. Verna Curry, El Cerrito Restore ALS research funding Regarding 'I was diagnosed with ALS in February. Trump's budget just cut funding that could help find a cure' (Open Forum, July 16): I cried when I read Kevin Morrison's powerful op-ed. My father died of ALS in 1962. He was 55. I was 14. Years later, my mother told me the UCSF doctor who gave my father the diagnosis said, 'If you're lucky, you'll live two more years. If you're unlucky, you'll live three.' My father died 30 months later. ALS is a cruel disease. Important advances have been made, but there is still no cure. Cutting research funding is short-sighted. It will set back the search for a cure by decades. Janet Lampe, Aptos, Santa Cruz County
Axios
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
How a train enthusiast created the quirky Muni personality quiz
A new Muni personality quiz is taking San Francisco by storm. State of play: "Which Line Are You?" matches users with results like the 22 Fillmore, 49 Van Ness or the T, with prompts asking how you respond to a robotaxi glitch and where you choose to sit on the bus. Driving the news: The quirky questionnaire, which takes users on a journey home from an unfamiliar city neighborhood, drew more than 33,500 responses in just one week, creator Noah Finer tells Axios. Behind the scenes: Finer, a Figma developer and self-professed "train enjoyer," came up with the idea in January after a foot injury left him with extra free time. The 24-year-old was inspired by the popularity of personality tests like " What vegetable are you?" He spent about four months prototyping it before launching on July 7 with a weeklong BART station ad and about 300 stickers hidden around the city. Fun fact: The guerrilla marketing effort was funded by the anonymous Francisco San fund, which offers grants for projects that make SF more "whimsical." (It also funded the Pursuit scavenger hunt.) What they're saying: "Public transportation is very important for SF and getting people around to local businesses and different spots around the city," Finer says. "I wanted to spread that awareness ... and bring SF transit into every single group chat." The intrigue: Though it mirrors the personality test, Myers–Briggs types were not intentionally matched with specific results. Instead, Finer took some of his favorite bus lines and "vaguely" assigned them "based on their aura" — in other words, it's "just vibes." Yes, but: The questions took more time. One of his earlier drafts led to all 10 testers getting the same result. "I had to do a lot of refining," he notes. Our thought bubble: Shawna is a bit skeptical that she is in fact the 22 Fillmore based on the assigned traits. She'll take it though since it's the oldest crosstown transit line in SF! Nadia is intrigued by her result — the T — given that she rarely rides it. It's also funny that her husband got the 38R, which the test deemed her frenemy. Mining bitcoin? Taking transit for free WiFi? Traveling to the SOUTH BAY?! CalTrain, this result could not be further from the truth since Claire is a 37 Corbett girlie til she dies.
San Francisco Chronicle
13-07-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Letters: S.F. mystery benches may annoy city, but they're a lifesaver for some people
Regarding 'Mystery benches are appearing on S.F. sidewalks. The city isn't happy about it' (San Francisco, July 7): I timed how long I could stand in place. It was eight minutes. A minute longer, and I'd feel my feet are carrying a load hoisted by an elephant. Multiple sclerosis has obliterated my physical abilities. Three years ago, I was an athletic young mom coaching my son's kindergarten team. Now I'm a disabled mom, always looking for a place to rest my fatigued legs. It's important for my kids to know that we are still city-loving parents. We will continue exploring this great city of San Francisco. However, it is nearly impossible to find a bench to sit at bus stops (we are avid Muni riders) or in the neighborhoods we visit. Having more benches is helpful to older people and those in the disabled community. Guerrilla benches might be inconvenient to city departments, but let us also continue to make this city accessible and inviting to all. Newsom is MIA The National Guard is camped out in Los Angeles. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is terrorizing and kidnapping hundreds of innocent, hard-working, tax-paying immigrants in cities throughout California. The state budget has a huge deficit. Medicaid cuts from the Great Big and Ugly budget bill could force hospital closures in California. Where is Gov. Gavin Newsom? Galavanting around and campaigning for the Democratic Party's nomination for president in 2028. Come home and take care of business, governor. I'm a Democrat who would never vote for a Republican, but it looks like I may have to support one of Newsom's Democratic opponents if he doesn't get his priorities right. Kerry Gough, Oakland Good riddance Regarding 'Controversial S.F. fountain not part of Embarcadero Plaza renovation plans, officials say' (San Francisco, July 9): I was pleased to hear that the sculpture was not part of the renovation plan for Embarcadero Plaza. Calling it a 'Brutalist fountain' is right on — it's simply brutal to look at. I happen to agree with former Chronicle architect critic Allan Temko, who once described it as 'something deposited by a concrete dog with square intestines.' Time to say goodbye to an eyesore and hello to a fountain-free park. Larry Costello, San Francisco City losing jewel Regarding 'Controversial S.F. fountain not part of Embarcadero Plaza renovation plans, officials say' (San Francisco, July 9): The amazing Vaillancourt Fountain is well worth the cost of restoration to preserve this magical work of art. It is worth much more than the Embarcadero Plaza renovation budget. The more treasures like this that San Francisco loses, the more diminished the city becomes. San Francisco is rapidly losing its heart and soul.
Hype Malaysia
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
Bigger & Bolder! Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 To Take Over Suria KLCC This August
Kuala Lumpur's biggest fashion event is coming back bigger and bolder than ever! Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week (KLFW) is once again teaming up with Suria KLCC and KLCC (Holdings) Sdn Bhd to revive its iconic PETRONAS Twin Towers-facing show space, setting the stage for an elevated week of homegrown fashion. From 4th to 10th August 2025, the annual fashion event will ramp up the excitement, scale, and style for its 13th season, featuring its biggest line-up yet, with more than 55 designers and brands comprising highly anticipated veteran returns, emerging runway talent, and established fashion mainstays. Now refreshed with a designated arrivals hall, the KLFW 2025 show space spans almost the entire Esplanade at KLCC Park. Housed within the sleek, monochrome, single-storey structure are the main show hall, runways, and a variety of activation spaces. Alongside the 500 invited guests expected at each show, fashion enthusiasts can once again catch the action via the runway livestream, exclusively broadcast on the venue's large LED screen panel. Here are the details of the upcoming event: Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week 2025 Date: 4th (Monday) – 10th (Sunday) August 2025 4th (Monday) – 10th (Sunday) August 2025 Time: 2pm onwards (Monday), 12pm onwards (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Weekend), 3pm onwards (Thursday) 2pm onwards (Monday), 12pm onwards (Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Weekend), 3pm onwards (Thursday) Venue: Suria KLCC Bold collaborations take centre stage at KLFW 2025, with the artistic heritage of textile custodians Muni and Sofia Iman transformed into show-stopping runway pieces. Blending elegance with edge, womenswear label Larney presents an exciting crossover with designer Afiq M, whose return to the all-black runway is heightened by a wave of long-awaited veteran revivals. KLFW 2025 is also thrilled to welcome back Ezzati Amira, Hatta Dolmat, Maarimaia, Mimpikita, Neonate, and Private Stitch, all of whom are set to continue pushing creative boundaries and showcasing the rich diversity of Malaysian fashion. Set to make bold first impressions are rising stars Akmal Hakim, ShazNash, Ugly Pretty, HUNTILANAK, and MOKJY, who will be joining circuit regulars Outdwell and Doubleback in making their KLFW debut. Also making highly anticipated appearances are renowned designer Radzuan Radziwill and bespoke artisan Teh Firdaus, both celebrated for crafting couture pieces worn by A-listers and royalty alike. The runway will also welcome young designers Raja Irfan, Mei Mei, and Salahuddinhilmi in the Design To Sustain segment, following their impressive victory at the KLFW Designer Search 2024. For the latest updates and all things KLFW 2025, be sure to visit the official website or follow the event on social media at @KLFashionWeek on Facebook and Instagram.
