In 2016 San Francisco was the Most Expensive City to Live

With an estimated population of 8,537,673 people, NYC is still the largest city in the U.S. But it is not the most expensive. That honor, again, went to San Francisco.

Good luck telling anyone who pays $2.75 for a subway token they got a deal, though.

After taking home the 2015 title, the City by the Bay is again the priciest among America’s 50 most populous cities, with a 2016 wage requirement of $110,357 to “live comfortably.” To come up with those numbers, finance site GoBankingRate.com uses the 50-30-20 budgeting rule, which allots 50% of income to necessities, 30% to discretionary items and 20% to savings. Bay Area residents will be stoked with their year-over-year decrease (the previous figure was $119,570), along with urbanites in D.C., New York, San Jose, Chicago and Boston, who all needed less scratch in ‘16.

What’s responsible for the change? Certainly a combination of factors, but we’re guessing lower gas prices, Brexit and rental-market saturation all contributed.

To cook up your own harebrained theories, check out the 50 most-expensive cities list here.

Meet your guide

Evan Bleier

Evan is a senior editor with InsideHook who earned a master’s degree in journalism from NYU and has called Brooklyn home since 2006. A fan of Boston sports, Nashville hot chicken and Kentucky bourbon, Evan has had his work published in publications including “Maxim,” Bleacher Report and “The Daily Mail.”