San Francisco

Despite tech layoffs reducing some pressure, San Francisco's median 1-bedroom rent of $3,200/month and median home price of $1.2 million keep it among the world's most expensive cities. A tech salary of $200,000 still leaves many feeling financially stretched after taxes, housing, and childcare — expenses that are 40% higher than the average for U.S. top-tier cities. The Bay Area's housing supply crisis shows no structural resolution, exacerbating cost pressures.