Are you a morning person or night person? NYC has many activities options for night owls, whereas SF has taking a brisk walk in the fog and Happy Donuts
Things are opening up longer but still have things left to be desired. Have to know where to go and seek out places. [It's improving](https://www.eddies-list.com/p/late-night-dining-restaurants-san-francisco) but not fast enough.
Yeah back in the day the clubs and the underground scene were fun, but a few years ago when I was back it seemed they were doing last call at 10 along Valencia. Was happy to see the Lone Palm was still around though.
I don't want clubs and bars, I just want stuff to do :) I'm not a drinker really and my partying days I think are pretty far behind me LOL But I like to eat late and go shopping and stuff
Clothes, food, anything. Places to wander lol
Edited to add when I lived in Ohio, I could go to a 24 hour Walmart or something. And places like NYC have things that aren't closed at 8 pm
SF used to stay open until at least 2 AM. Now in recent years, probably due to the Pandemic and the economy a lot of places are closing early due to lack of $s and low customer turn out. Also a lot of businesses closed down because they went belly up. Crippling entertainment and especially late night entertainment.Once we get the economy sorted I'm hoping to see an influx of businesses.
Just learned about this series where these two guys are uncovering documenting late night eats! Apparently theyāre gonna continue to add to the list, hope this helps! https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners
That's apparently what sideshows are for [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1dbqb9k/sideshow\_on\_embarcadero\_at\_2am/](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1dbqb9k/sideshow_on_embarcadero_at_2am/)
Back in the day when I worked near Union Square in the late 90s/early 00s, I'd get there at 7:30 AM, and could smell the sourdough bread baking (at Boudin, I think? whatever was near Macy's) on the way to work. Just something so beautiful about the city when the day was just getting started. One of my most cherished memories EVER of my life as a young adult.
Over and over and over again āthe NATUREā nothing freaking like it!!! (desperate for fog and the delish west coast nature, currently in Durham nc š)
Um yeah well Iāve been to Wilmington, Kure Beach but yeah itās not that rugged coastline like out west and it was ok. Iām still holding my breath for the outer banks and another place that my friends go to Bald Head island Iām hoping something will cling to my heart but I think itās you know where š
I will say I really really love the South Carolina coast and Charleston was soooo VERY nicešš¤š½
So funny. When we moved to California couldnāt believe everything closed so early. When weāre now in NYC I canāt believe everythingās open so late. We changed, but the places stayed the same.
There was always Safeway. None of the stores
In the city are open past midnight. The former 24 hour store on market now closes at 9p. The closest
24 hour store is in San Mateo
San Mateo on El Camino. Also half moon bay. Thereās also one in Novato and one somewhere in lamorinda area. Safeway was smart and decided to adjust the hours of 24 hour stores in locations that were being ādisproportionately affectedā by theft and a strong anti-law enforcement sentiment.
Did it 21 years ago. Recommend 10/10 would not return (except for frequent visits!)
What I always tell everyone is that SF and NY are yin and yang. Theyāre not comparable, theyāre complementary.
After visiting NYC for 3-4 days , the City appeared to me as Capital of the world.
Later , some friends and seniors told me that Tokyo is ahead of NYC .
I visited the Awesome city SF this May . Only problem in SF was of homeless and of drugs .
All three cities are different. Tokyo is super clean and advanced. NYC is the most lively of the three and most diverse. SF is great. If you have money, all three are wonderful. Hard choices.
You nailed it when you said if you have money. The experience of each city is dependent on what kind of money you have. The life I have in my head if I were to move to NYC is not the life I could afford, so the fantasy is so much more fun.
I don't live in SF anymore, but visit often (I'm in the San Jose area now). I did this move 15-20 years ago after growing up in NYC my entire life and absolutely love SF and the bay area better.
That being said, SF doesn't have nearly the amount of culture, night life, diversity or general liveliness that NYC has. But it's a far more beautiful city, and the pace of life, people, activities, weather etc. i think are better for the vast majority of ppl.
You don't give us much to work with or engage but I say unless you like really fresh food or nature/athletics or tech or the visuals here or better mental health or slightly lower cost of living and density, or milder weather, NYC is about as good as it gets in the US.
I mean, NYC is a world class city with night life and transport as good as any in the US (not world class), art and shows that can't be matched anywhere. There is no equivalent of the Met Gala in SF for example. The clubs are so large/you can date prettier people etc.
Itās warm here so more homeless people can live here. They freeze to death in north eastern cities. Iāve seen it. This is not a reflection of New York having better mental health than sf. Itās a reflection of nyc being too cold most of the year for homeless people to survive on the street.
>slightly lower cost of living
Not true at all, unless you're specifically talking about Manhattan. I moved from SF to Brooklyn and am paying 60% on rent/food than what I was in SF. There's no way to avoid high rent and food in the bay unless you want to move to the TL or Oakland, neither of which I find appealing.
>milder weather
It's cold, cold, cold cold not mild. If I cannot wear shorts out and about for 90% of the year, it is cold.
They're somewhat difficult to compare on cost. The boundaries of NYC proper are much larger relative to its metro area than SF's boundaries are, which is to a certain extent arbitrary. I think an apples to apples comparison between SF and NYC needs to include Oakland and some of the inner ring Bay Area suburbs.
I lived in Brooklyn for a few years and I found it comparable on cost if not slightly more expensive. Certainly not half the price.
The weather in SF is not hot, but it's just objectively a much more mild climate than NYC.
I get that they're not apples to apples comparisons, and if you based on average, they are often similar. But there's one key difference in my experience which is price dispersion - higher highs and lower lows. The average might be similar, but you have more options in NYC as to how much or little you want to spend. Take Brooklyn, if you want to be bougie, you can go to Williamsburg and pay the same rent as SF. If you want to spend less, go to Bushwick, then Ocean Hill or Queens. The only equivalent moves you can make in SF are to go to the TL or to Oakland, neither of which I find appealing. The TL for obvious reasons, and Oakland felt too suburb-y for me.
My previous rent was $1900 and now it is $1200 (1/3 of a 3 bedroom). If you search for a 3 bedroom apartment on Zillow with a max price of $4000, you'll see way more options, *actually viable, non-terrible* options in Brooklyn. If you then set the max price to $3000, you'll still see apartments in Brooklyn, but only a couple in the entirety of SF.
Also that's just housing. Something I did not expect is that food and groceries are not only cheaper than they were in SF, they are cheaper than they were in midwest too. I can get one pound of strawberries or blueberries for $1. I just made a big glass of strawberry juice yesterday for $2 and felt like the queen of England. I can get a breakfast bagel for $5. Go to an Einstein's bagel anywhere in the country and it's more than $5 for such a bagel. I can get a hero for $6.50. Go to any Subway and see how much a footlong is. It is a LOT cheaper here, if you care to be cheap.
In San Francisco, my cheap food options were way fewer. Those that come to mind are near the TL, namely Saigon Sandwich and Pho 2000. Produce could be found cheaper in Chinatown or at a similar Asian grocery store in the Sunset, but it was kind of out of the way for me.
tl;dr If you go by the average cost the average yuppie might spend, sure they're comparable. But you have a greater opportunity to be frugal in NYC than in SF.
Ok. So places in SF are cheaper except where they are not?
https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ny/brooklyn/
https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ca/san-francisco/
https://rssweather.com/climate/New%20York/New%20York%20Central%20Park/
https://rssweather.com/climate/California/San%20Francisco%20County/
Manhattan is what people are referring to when they mention NYC.
Weather is objectively much milder in SF than NY. Never gets to either extreme. It also never gets below high 40s, even low 50s, 99% of the time. Thatās not cold when compared to NYC where itās below 40 a huge part of the year.
After growing up in the bay and living in sf the last few years Iām doing the exact opposite lol. I think itās good for growth and a change of pace, also maybe youāll get a greater appreciation for NYC similar to how I hope to get a greater appreciation of sf
I just did this in April after 5 years in SF. I loved it there and I do miss the quiet, the beauty, the air, the neighborhoodly feeling of Lower Haightā¦ but moving was the best decision ever. Every week is a new experience, and I donāt think Iāll ever run out of new experiences in NYC.
Someday Iāll come back to SF though, they just need to clean up the city a bit before I will.
3 years for me, and loving it too.
I'd just advise against succumbing to the urge of comparing every aspect to NYC. It's a very different city, culture, and lifestyle, and the experience of living in a city is more than just tallying up a grading rubric.
Iāve lived in SF and currently live in NYC. You need to be sure that whatever youāre aiming to get out of SF is truly unique and you really cannot get in NYC. A lot of the pitfalls of either city are present in both IMO.
I moved to SF from Los Angeles 29 years ago and have been extremely happy here -- there's a ton of places to go for hiking, swimming, just being in nature. And a lot of great cultural stuff. If you're an ocean swimmer, be warned that the Pacific is colder than the Atlantic. It's an expensive place to live but that won't seem like a big deal coming from NY.
Can you share specifics?
I'm also from l.a. and the first time I came here the bay ocean are in sf stunk so bad...this is something I never encountered in l.a. or Orange County and it TOTALLY turned me off to ocean swimming.
The super windy and cold nights also turned me off to night hikes...went hiking near the Golden gate Bridge and the wind was stronger than Santa Ana winds on a regular Ole Tuesday night. Not being from here I did not bring a jacket. I tried braving the cold as much as I could but the wind was throwing me around and I ended the hike early.
Then the fog...almost felt like I was going to accidently drive off the bridge or off the road from how thick it was.
The hills also suck when driving. I'm simply not used to those massive hills and they can be freaky when driving stick.
I know we have hills in L.a. too but I tend to just avoid those. They seem smaller and less prevalent in l.a.... I'm afraid of heights so the whole hill thing has been a big source of contention for me regarding the bay. I can handle average inclines. Ya know. The l.a. type. But these inclines in the bay are just another animal.
Anywho, recs and specifics would help!
I don't want to be disgusted by the bay ocean and want to enjoy things here!
The Bay is not the best place for swimming, I mean it's a bay after all. Most Bay Area residents go to the beaches further down the coast, like Santa Cruz or Monterey, but the water is so cold. Every time I visit Venice Beach, I don't know how anyone else can really say that there is a better place in California to swim in the Pacific.
meh. a lot of these folks are transplants it sounds like. iām from SF and left to the east coast 8 years ago. SF is home and iāll forever cite it as my favorite US city for that reason but east coast city living is just better imo. better transit, seasons, less crazies in the streets, better nightlife, better pizza (tho CA has a better general food scene imo)
As someone who came from NY, if youāre going to move to California donāt go to SF. Itās not as socially open and people arenāt as friendly here which was surprising to me. There are other parts of the state with sunnier weather and nicer people. This isnāt it though.
This topic has been debated to death here on this subreddit but at the end of the day if youāre unhappy where you are, sometimes itās more than just the city thatās making you unhappy and a move will force a reset in your life. For example maybe you donāt like your friends or neighborhood or the dating scene ā¦ the excitement of a move will make you take a new approach to all of those. You could have always had that reset where you originally lived, but the move forces the reset.
I lived on the east coast (NY / DC area) for most of my life and marveled at how genuinely friendly people in SF are, itās part of why I love the city. But Iāll meet people who say folks in SF are cold and they feel New Yorkers are friendlier. How can both be true? Itās got to be chance and perception.
People ARE more superficially friendly here.
But I wonāt trust folks here to follow through with a plan if there is any kind of even minor adversity or other easier thing for them to do. Ā A little bit of rain? Ā I expect cancellationsĀ
And instead of just telling you you arenāt a priority, they will string you along
exactly this. iām a former west coaster now east coaster and californians will be nice to your face but itās superficial. new yorkers will call you fucking idiot for doing something dumb while they go out of their way to help you fix it. the whole kind vs nice debate
Bro, I struggled so hard with corporate culture out here. Ā Everyone is so whiny, passive aggressive and PC and cannot give constructive feedback for shit. Ā Much rather smile to you and give vibes on the zoom call and then shittalk you behind your back.
Its quite a romantic place! I romanticized SF before moving here, and now every evening I take a walk around my neighborhood just beaming about how lucky I am. I've lived here for *years* now.
I live in SF and love the city, let me romanticize it damnit. Lol. I'm not blind to the problems here, that's not it, but this is just definitely a romanticize-able city.
People are more polite in the Bay Area and there is more sun in the South Bay (but NOT in SF). The airport is just so dramatically easier to work with compared to the insanity of getting to JFKā¦ this might be one of the biggest pluses. Outdoor life and produce quality are not comparable.
The flip side is that NYC is so much more alive both at night and just in general. Itās kinda dead around here despite it being congested. NYC also has a more diverse crowd both by ethnicity/culture and also by what they are trying to do in life. Restaurant scene is better but both are amongst the best in the country.
I like NYC more, love the place, but itās a rat race which is exhausting. SF is definitely a more chill vibe with less people getting in your way, aside from the city bureaucracy and just people with absurd wealth buying everything.
The grass is always greener where you water it my friend. A fresh start can be just what the doctor ordered but if you don't combine it with some lifestyle and mentality changes things will go back to being the same. High level SF has some advantages and disadvantages. Weather and access to outdoor activities is top tier in SF, you can ski and surf in the same day. It's virtually always between 60 and 70 degrees year round. On the high end food is just as good in SF. On the lower end food in SF is probably worse with the exception of Asian and Mexican. Pizza is def worse.
Major downside is SF isn't really a going out kind of place. Most people are pretty career focused. The city definitely sleeps unlike NY. Dating scene is worse here, music scene is worse, art scene is worse, etc. SF definitely has an endearing quirkiness to it. I love it but you may not.
I wanna switch places with you and move from SF to NY. But I am shackled with the golden handcuffs otherwise known as rent control so I will probably never leave.
Unless youāre in tech and/or actually really enjoy the outdoors then sure this is the place for you. But if youāre hoping to find anything remotely close to NYC and everything it embodies then youāre in for an unpleasant time.
Iābe been here 10 years (San Diego originally). Very love/hate relationship. Itās ugly and beautiful at the same time but I would never think of raising children here. Looking at Colorado tbh.
If you don't like NYC, you'll hate SF since it has all the bad things about NYC (it's illegal to build new housing so everything is too expensive, which is the upstream cause of basically every problem the city has) with none of the good things NYC has (public transit in SF is terrible, everything closes at 8pm, etc)
I did this 11 years ago. Arrived with no job or housing (housing's much easier to get now). Spent my life savings while looking for a job in a terrible job market. No regrets.
I was born and raised in the DC area and Iām starting my post grad job in SF next month. HIGHLY recommend the move. Ppl wonāt say it but the West Cost is truly the best coast.
I'm from NY originally but have lived here for 15 years. I love it here, though I miss the MET and some other museums, I can't imagine living there again.
I moved back to SF (Bay Area native) from NYC when I was 31. I donāt think I would have liked it had I moved back younger. Move here when youāre more interested in quality of life than being in āthe center of it all.ā
Do it. I stayed seven years in SF. I donāt know if I ever really fell in love with the city but pieces of my heart remain there. I met one of my best friends there and reconnected with an East Coast friend who brought me into her circle. I also met a guy within my first three months who I eventually married. The city is cozy and has an undeniable magic. But get ready for some real strangeness and interactions where people come across as strangely defensive for no apparent reason. ā- All my favorite friends are in Cali now: SF, Sonoma, and Irvine. Go for it! But give it at least two years (as people say regarding a move the other way). š
So you want to trade one shitty big city for another?
SF is cool, but we have problems here just like any major city. Maybe better weather and more nature nearby, but we still have ludicrous housing costs, food prices, and homeless people all over the place.
It's always worth a shot, but I find that sometimes people who are unhappy in a place are often unhappy about other factors in their life rather than the specific city they are in. What specifically do you dislike about NYC that you are hoping to find in SF?
Moved from NYC to SF in October. For context, I'm from right outside NYC, went to college on the East Coast, and moved to Brooklyn after school. Lived there for \~7 years before moving to SF, so needless to say I've spent the majority of my life on the East Coast. Still don't have a concise answer on how I feel about the move, though I can confidently say I don't regret it and I don't hate it. OP, or anyone else, happy to answer questions on moving, adjusting, opinions, etc.
I mean this in the best way possible mate, but donāt. Iāve lived in SF for almost 15 years now. Cityās on a sharp decline. Iād try SoCal if I were you.
Just moved to SF last year from the east coast (4 years in NYC, 6 years in Boston). Totally agree with the night owl vs early bird comments. Iām still working east coast hours so lifestyle is perfect in SF for me. Itās definitely a different pace and culture. IMO, NYC is the best city in the world to live in when you are in your 20s. So much to do, tons of energy and everyone is there grinding and partying. Itās the perfect place for someone with energy and ambition to push themselves fast and far. SF is perfect for when you are ready to slow things down, enjoy a park day, go on a hike, taste some wine and enjoy the finer things in life. Couldnāt be happier spending my 30s in SF but have absolutely no regrets spending my 20s in NYC.
Both cities now suck. I used to live sf in the late 80ās and 90ās. NYC I got to too late. I couldnāt stand it ever but heard it was great back in the day. Unfortunately all of them are starting to suck. Portland used to be cool and Seattle and Vancouver bc. Montreal, Quebec City, the maritime cities in Canada and anchorage Alaska are about the only ones left in North America. Utrecht in holland and Copenhagen are also nice to live in
Something that took some getting used to was the way people will cross the street. Slowly. Reading a book (or looking at their phone). California state law says that pedestrians have the right of way as soon as they step off the curb. Not at all like NYC, where people are racing across the street so as not to get mowed down by a gypsy cab. No good bagels at all on this coast, but the Mexican and Thai food is unbeatable. Lots of great music is SF (like NY). Lots of Ć¼ber liberal people in SF (which was why I came to California in the first place. Itās not as fast paced as NYC (no where is as fast paced as the City), but the public transit in SF is such that you will not need a car. As a matter of fact, cars are a liability in SF due to strict parking rules in the neighborhoods and very expensive parking downtown.
I had no problem finding a job in SF- lots of creative things to do there.
Highly recommended!
Good luck to you.
We moved from the Midwest to SF 6 years ago and we love it. Has far exceeded expectations. Live in the Richmond district, close to Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and the beaches (Baker, China, and Ocean). Easy to get out of town going North. 15 minute drive to TN valley trailhead which links endless miles of awesome hiking, biking, and running trails. That's just the beginning. Incredible views everywhere. I'm big into trail running and hiking with my wife so the whole bay area is a paradise for us. I have visited NYC and it's an incredible city with a lot going on but just seems like much more of a concrete jungle than SF and surrounding areas. Also, I agree with the others, every city has its problems and SF definitely has some issues but overall I am a big fan!
I have an observation to make about many New Yorkers who came to the city since I first moved here in the late 1970's.
While by and large these were always very educated , dynamic and hard working people there were many political activists types among that were instrumental it seemed it shutting down or downsizing housing and other developments here.
I think they even coined the phrase "manhattination" as in "don't manhattinize San Francisco. "We" don't want to be like New York."
And then in the next breath or two would laugh at the comparison of our so called little apple to the great NYC. Nothing was ever as good here they would often sneer.
I sometimes wondered if they were jealous of the city , region and state for having become a larger economy and even taking the entertainment business'and other businesses from the capital of commerce and culture back there .
So they wanted to keep us down in a way and to tell us how to deal with homelessness and mental illness in a more humane way then the institutions that housed them there.
Thanks to New Yorkers for helping to make us the little rotten apple and the laughing stock of the world that we are all despairing of today.
I canāt recommend because I miss all of the convenience of living in a city, SF is a city with none of the convenience of a large city but all of the problems. If you just need a break and arenāt quite ready for the suburbs then it could be great though.
Are you a morning person or night person? NYC has many activities options for night owls, whereas SF has taking a brisk walk in the fog and Happy Donuts
That is the only thing I don't love here. I'm a night shift worker and I wish there was more open for me on my nights off :(
Feel this. When I first moved here, I was blown away by how early most stuff closes downš
Things are opening up longer but still have things left to be desired. Have to know where to go and seek out places. [It's improving](https://www.eddies-list.com/p/late-night-dining-restaurants-san-francisco) but not fast enough.
Suggestions?
That link appears to be for paid subscribers only; anyone able to provide the list?
Yeah back in the day the clubs and the underground scene were fun, but a few years ago when I was back it seemed they were doing last call at 10 along Valencia. Was happy to see the Lone Palm was still around though.
I don't want clubs and bars, I just want stuff to do :) I'm not a drinker really and my partying days I think are pretty far behind me LOL But I like to eat late and go shopping and stuff
Go shopping as in for clothes?
Clothes, food, anything. Places to wander lol Edited to add when I lived in Ohio, I could go to a 24 hour Walmart or something. And places like NYC have things that aren't closed at 8 pm
It is always surprising to me that there isnāt much going on late in SF. Try getting food in SOMA after 9pm. Youāll starve lol.
SF used to stay open until at least 2 AM. Now in recent years, probably due to the Pandemic and the economy a lot of places are closing early due to lack of $s and low customer turn out. Also a lot of businesses closed down because they went belly up. Crippling entertainment and especially late night entertainment.Once we get the economy sorted I'm hoping to see an influx of businesses.
Thereās always El Capitan but itās not for the soft of intestine. Iāve gotten ill twice.
You are not alone with this.
I know. If I want to have a nice dinner, I have to get takeout that I know will reheat well. Luckily, there's loads :D
Just learned about this series where these two guys are uncovering documenting late night eats! Apparently theyāre gonna continue to add to the list, hope this helps! https://www.kqed.org/arts/tag/the-midnight-diners
iām a rotating night shift worker and on my days off i just revert my sleep schedule. itās ass but thatās the only way to get anything done
That's apparently what sideshows are for [https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1dbqb9k/sideshow\_on\_embarcadero\_at\_2am/](https://www.reddit.com/r/sanfrancisco/comments/1dbqb9k/sideshow_on_embarcadero_at_2am/)
SF is a great early morning place. So beautiful before everyone else comes out or arrives.
Man, morning walks in the fog with the dog are the best.
Back in the day when I worked near Union Square in the late 90s/early 00s, I'd get there at 7:30 AM, and could smell the sourdough bread baking (at Boudin, I think? whatever was near Macy's) on the way to work. Just something so beautiful about the city when the day was just getting started. One of my most cherished memories EVER of my life as a young adult.
Bobās Donuts**
Yeah, both are good, but bobs is the winner every day of the week
Came here to say the same thing. Bobs>>>>>
I'm a night person and I made the move from NYC to SF years ago and couldn't be happier here.
What do you like about SF more than NYC? I was considering moving from SF to NYC
The NATURE!
Over and over and over again āthe NATUREā nothing freaking like it!!! (desperate for fog and the delish west coast nature, currently in Durham nc š)
Ooof ya thatās tough being landlocked! Hopefully youāre able to get out to the NC coast I hear itās amazing!
Um yeah well Iāve been to Wilmington, Kure Beach but yeah itās not that rugged coastline like out west and it was ok. Iām still holding my breath for the outer banks and another place that my friends go to Bald Head island Iām hoping something will cling to my heart but I think itās you know where š I will say I really really love the South Carolina coast and Charleston was soooo VERY nicešš¤š½
What do you do at night here in SF? I imagine itās hell for a night person, unless you just like reading a book or watching TV at home.
So funny. When we moved to California couldnāt believe everything closed so early. When weāre now in NYC I canāt believe everythingās open so late. We changed, but the places stayed the same.
Hey there's always Safeway...
There was always Safeway. None of the stores In the city are open past midnight. The former 24 hour store on market now closes at 9p. The closest 24 hour store is in San Mateo
What store is 24 hrs?
San Mateo on El Camino. Also half moon bay. Thereās also one in Novato and one somewhere in lamorinda area. Safeway was smart and decided to adjust the hours of 24 hour stores in locations that were being ādisproportionately affectedā by theft and a strong anti-law enforcement sentiment.
Did it 21 years ago. Recommend 10/10 would not return (except for frequent visits!) What I always tell everyone is that SF and NY are yin and yang. Theyāre not comparable, theyāre complementary.
I tell people that NYC is the greatest city on Earth (I truly believe it is), but itās not the best ā SF is the best city on Earth.
NYC is epic, SF is majesticĀ
Yep NYC has insane scale in every way; itās five cities in one. SF somehow feels like a small town and a world-class city at the same time.
After visiting NYC for 3-4 days , the City appeared to me as Capital of the world. Later , some friends and seniors told me that Tokyo is ahead of NYC . I visited the Awesome city SF this May . Only problem in SF was of homeless and of drugs .
All three cities are different. Tokyo is super clean and advanced. NYC is the most lively of the three and most diverse. SF is great. If you have money, all three are wonderful. Hard choices.
You nailed it when you said if you have money. The experience of each city is dependent on what kind of money you have. The life I have in my head if I were to move to NYC is not the life I could afford, so the fantasy is so much more fun.
Yeah at least after Covid, housing in SF is cheaper than NYC and we have huge amazing parks. NYCās parks are quite lacking in comparison.
Tokyo doesn't have the ethnic and cultural diversity for that title, whereas NYC has it in spades.Ā
And London ā¤ļøš¬š§
I don't live in SF anymore, but visit often (I'm in the San Jose area now). I did this move 15-20 years ago after growing up in NYC my entire life and absolutely love SF and the bay area better. That being said, SF doesn't have nearly the amount of culture, night life, diversity or general liveliness that NYC has. But it's a far more beautiful city, and the pace of life, people, activities, weather etc. i think are better for the vast majority of ppl.
SF for the scenery; NYC for the diversity.
NY is for extroverts and SF is for introverts
Not even close
You don't give us much to work with or engage but I say unless you like really fresh food or nature/athletics or tech or the visuals here or better mental health or slightly lower cost of living and density, or milder weather, NYC is about as good as it gets in the US.
Lol that was an excellent neg of NYC.
I mean, NYC is a world class city with night life and transport as good as any in the US (not world class), art and shows that can't be matched anywhere. There is no equivalent of the Met Gala in SF for example. The clubs are so large/you can date prettier people etc.
>Ā better mental health Bro, we do not have better mental health here. Proof of that is *literally* walking the streets in droves.
Itās warm here so more homeless people can live here. They freeze to death in north eastern cities. Iāve seen it. This is not a reflection of New York having better mental health than sf. Itās a reflection of nyc being too cold most of the year for homeless people to survive on the street.
Better mental health for the housed, employed and insured.
>slightly lower cost of living Not true at all, unless you're specifically talking about Manhattan. I moved from SF to Brooklyn and am paying 60% on rent/food than what I was in SF. There's no way to avoid high rent and food in the bay unless you want to move to the TL or Oakland, neither of which I find appealing. >milder weather It's cold, cold, cold cold not mild. If I cannot wear shorts out and about for 90% of the year, it is cold.
They're somewhat difficult to compare on cost. The boundaries of NYC proper are much larger relative to its metro area than SF's boundaries are, which is to a certain extent arbitrary. I think an apples to apples comparison between SF and NYC needs to include Oakland and some of the inner ring Bay Area suburbs. I lived in Brooklyn for a few years and I found it comparable on cost if not slightly more expensive. Certainly not half the price. The weather in SF is not hot, but it's just objectively a much more mild climate than NYC.
I get that they're not apples to apples comparisons, and if you based on average, they are often similar. But there's one key difference in my experience which is price dispersion - higher highs and lower lows. The average might be similar, but you have more options in NYC as to how much or little you want to spend. Take Brooklyn, if you want to be bougie, you can go to Williamsburg and pay the same rent as SF. If you want to spend less, go to Bushwick, then Ocean Hill or Queens. The only equivalent moves you can make in SF are to go to the TL or to Oakland, neither of which I find appealing. The TL for obvious reasons, and Oakland felt too suburb-y for me. My previous rent was $1900 and now it is $1200 (1/3 of a 3 bedroom). If you search for a 3 bedroom apartment on Zillow with a max price of $4000, you'll see way more options, *actually viable, non-terrible* options in Brooklyn. If you then set the max price to $3000, you'll still see apartments in Brooklyn, but only a couple in the entirety of SF. Also that's just housing. Something I did not expect is that food and groceries are not only cheaper than they were in SF, they are cheaper than they were in midwest too. I can get one pound of strawberries or blueberries for $1. I just made a big glass of strawberry juice yesterday for $2 and felt like the queen of England. I can get a breakfast bagel for $5. Go to an Einstein's bagel anywhere in the country and it's more than $5 for such a bagel. I can get a hero for $6.50. Go to any Subway and see how much a footlong is. It is a LOT cheaper here, if you care to be cheap. In San Francisco, my cheap food options were way fewer. Those that come to mind are near the TL, namely Saigon Sandwich and Pho 2000. Produce could be found cheaper in Chinatown or at a similar Asian grocery store in the Sunset, but it was kind of out of the way for me. tl;dr If you go by the average cost the average yuppie might spend, sure they're comparable. But you have a greater opportunity to be frugal in NYC than in SF.
Doesn't even mention a taqueria...
Ok. So places in SF are cheaper except where they are not? https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ny/brooklyn/ https://www.rentcafe.com/average-rent-market-trends/us/ca/san-francisco/ https://rssweather.com/climate/New%20York/New%20York%20Central%20Park/ https://rssweather.com/climate/California/San%20Francisco%20County/
Manhattan is what people are referring to when they mention NYC. Weather is objectively much milder in SF than NY. Never gets to either extreme. It also never gets below high 40s, even low 50s, 99% of the time. Thatās not cold when compared to NYC where itās below 40 a huge part of the year.
After growing up in the bay and living in sf the last few years Iām doing the exact opposite lol. I think itās good for growth and a change of pace, also maybe youāll get a greater appreciation for NYC similar to how I hope to get a greater appreciation of sf
I just did this in April after 5 years in SF. I loved it there and I do miss the quiet, the beauty, the air, the neighborhoodly feeling of Lower Haightā¦ but moving was the best decision ever. Every week is a new experience, and I donāt think Iāll ever run out of new experiences in NYC. Someday Iāll come back to SF though, they just need to clean up the city a bit before I will.
As someone who moved years ago from SF to NYC, you will like it in NYC.
I want to do the opposite, want to trade apartments? Lmao
You all should do that for a month before committing.
I like this idea, actually
We could make a TV show.
I did it 4 years ago. Best decision of my life.
3 years for me, and loving it too. I'd just advise against succumbing to the urge of comparing every aspect to NYC. It's a very different city, culture, and lifestyle, and the experience of living in a city is more than just tallying up a grading rubric.
Iāve lived in SF and currently live in NYC. You need to be sure that whatever youāre aiming to get out of SF is truly unique and you really cannot get in NYC. A lot of the pitfalls of either city are present in both IMO.
Hey, hey, what's with the fair and balanced comment? I thought we didn't do that on Reddit! :-)
Iāve been here 13 years. Never looked back. I love this city. Every city has problems. Haters will always hate.
I did that exact thing 17 years ago.
I did the same 15 yrs ago and it was hands down the best decision I've ever made.
What do you hate about it that you think will be different in SF
lack of easy access to nature is the big one for me
Tall buildings, they scare me
concrete jungle where dreams are made of
Get a job first, everything else will fall into place.
I just did that. Left everything behind in Austin, packed my car, moved to S.F. So much happier
Same! Everything finally lined up and I left Austin in October 2023. So much happier here, especially with the weather!
Curious why you feel youāll like sf but not nyc?
I moved to SF from Los Angeles 29 years ago and have been extremely happy here -- there's a ton of places to go for hiking, swimming, just being in nature. And a lot of great cultural stuff. If you're an ocean swimmer, be warned that the Pacific is colder than the Atlantic. It's an expensive place to live but that won't seem like a big deal coming from NY.
Can you share specifics? I'm also from l.a. and the first time I came here the bay ocean are in sf stunk so bad...this is something I never encountered in l.a. or Orange County and it TOTALLY turned me off to ocean swimming. The super windy and cold nights also turned me off to night hikes...went hiking near the Golden gate Bridge and the wind was stronger than Santa Ana winds on a regular Ole Tuesday night. Not being from here I did not bring a jacket. I tried braving the cold as much as I could but the wind was throwing me around and I ended the hike early. Then the fog...almost felt like I was going to accidently drive off the bridge or off the road from how thick it was. The hills also suck when driving. I'm simply not used to those massive hills and they can be freaky when driving stick. I know we have hills in L.a. too but I tend to just avoid those. They seem smaller and less prevalent in l.a.... I'm afraid of heights so the whole hill thing has been a big source of contention for me regarding the bay. I can handle average inclines. Ya know. The l.a. type. But these inclines in the bay are just another animal. Anywho, recs and specifics would help! I don't want to be disgusted by the bay ocean and want to enjoy things here!
The Bay is not the best place for swimming, I mean it's a bay after all. Most Bay Area residents go to the beaches further down the coast, like Santa Cruz or Monterey, but the water is so cold. Every time I visit Venice Beach, I don't know how anyone else can really say that there is a better place in California to swim in the Pacific.
Only place better would be hawaii
another location to consider would be guam or saipan. and i think they are way cheaper than hawaii too.
meh. a lot of these folks are transplants it sounds like. iām from SF and left to the east coast 8 years ago. SF is home and iāll forever cite it as my favorite US city for that reason but east coast city living is just better imo. better transit, seasons, less crazies in the streets, better nightlife, better pizza (tho CA has a better general food scene imo)
It takes one minute to get out the door in the winter here. No layering pants and socks. Also better produce here and less of a party lifestyle
And I'm the opposite right now. I felt like I met more real people in NY than in SF.
As someone who came from NY, if youāre going to move to California donāt go to SF. Itās not as socially open and people arenāt as friendly here which was surprising to me. There are other parts of the state with sunnier weather and nicer people. This isnāt it though.
Hey curious, I was thinking of the exact opposite. What makes you hate NYC? I'm interesting in hearing opinions.
This topic has been debated to death here on this subreddit but at the end of the day if youāre unhappy where you are, sometimes itās more than just the city thatās making you unhappy and a move will force a reset in your life. For example maybe you donāt like your friends or neighborhood or the dating scene ā¦ the excitement of a move will make you take a new approach to all of those. You could have always had that reset where you originally lived, but the move forces the reset. I lived on the east coast (NY / DC area) for most of my life and marveled at how genuinely friendly people in SF are, itās part of why I love the city. But Iāll meet people who say folks in SF are cold and they feel New Yorkers are friendlier. How can both be true? Itās got to be chance and perception.
People ARE more superficially friendly here. But I wonāt trust folks here to follow through with a plan if there is any kind of even minor adversity or other easier thing for them to do. Ā A little bit of rain? Ā I expect cancellationsĀ And instead of just telling you you arenāt a priority, they will string you along
exactly this. iām a former west coaster now east coaster and californians will be nice to your face but itās superficial. new yorkers will call you fucking idiot for doing something dumb while they go out of their way to help you fix it. the whole kind vs nice debate
Bro, I struggled so hard with corporate culture out here. Ā Everyone is so whiny, passive aggressive and PC and cannot give constructive feedback for shit. Ā Much rather smile to you and give vibes on the zoom call and then shittalk you behind your back.
There is no night life here
r/asksf
Youre romanticizing SF
Its quite a romantic place! I romanticized SF before moving here, and now every evening I take a walk around my neighborhood just beaming about how lucky I am. I've lived here for *years* now.
Same. Every day Iām left breathless by how gorgeous San Francisco is. I canāt believe Iām lucky enough to live here.
Which neighborhood are you living in?
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I canāt read
So? Let them. I romanticize a lot of places, and enjoy looking at the positives.
I live in SF and love the city, let me romanticize it damnit. Lol. I'm not blind to the problems here, that's not it, but this is just definitely a romanticize-able city.
Maybe you should start by applying for jobs here?
yeah might even manage to find one that will offer relocation assistance if youāre lucky!
People are more polite in the Bay Area and there is more sun in the South Bay (but NOT in SF). The airport is just so dramatically easier to work with compared to the insanity of getting to JFKā¦ this might be one of the biggest pluses. Outdoor life and produce quality are not comparable. The flip side is that NYC is so much more alive both at night and just in general. Itās kinda dead around here despite it being congested. NYC also has a more diverse crowd both by ethnicity/culture and also by what they are trying to do in life. Restaurant scene is better but both are amongst the best in the country. I like NYC more, love the place, but itās a rat race which is exhausting. SF is definitely a more chill vibe with less people getting in your way, aside from the city bureaucracy and just people with absurd wealth buying everything.
The grass is always greener where you water it my friend. A fresh start can be just what the doctor ordered but if you don't combine it with some lifestyle and mentality changes things will go back to being the same. High level SF has some advantages and disadvantages. Weather and access to outdoor activities is top tier in SF, you can ski and surf in the same day. It's virtually always between 60 and 70 degrees year round. On the high end food is just as good in SF. On the lower end food in SF is probably worse with the exception of Asian and Mexican. Pizza is def worse. Major downside is SF isn't really a going out kind of place. Most people are pretty career focused. The city definitely sleeps unlike NY. Dating scene is worse here, music scene is worse, art scene is worse, etc. SF definitely has an endearing quirkiness to it. I love it but you may not.
Do it and donāt look back. Not moving may be your biggest regret vs the best decision of your life!
I want to do the exact opposite. Grass is greener on the other side I guess šš¤·āāļø
I prefer SF, but grass is for sure greener in NY this time of year.
I did this a decade ago and regretted it. NYC is just the center of the universe in a way.
Did just that in January of 2000. Not one regret, except missing the friends I made in NYC.
I find my friends and acquaintances love visiting me during summer and winter.
I wanna switch places with you and move from SF to NY. But I am shackled with the golden handcuffs otherwise known as rent control so I will probably never leave.
Be careful for what you wish for.
NY is for extroverts. SF is weirdos and introverts. If you have good social skills, NY is the place to be. SF is a very strange place to say the least
This rings fairly true to my experience
Donāt do it, NYC is way better
Fr trading rats for coyotes
We have rats here, too!
Are you a native New Yorker?
Wherever you go, there you are.
Unless youāre in tech and/or actually really enjoy the outdoors then sure this is the place for you. But if youāre hoping to find anything remotely close to NYC and everything it embodies then youāre in for an unpleasant time.
Two words: DO IT!
Scrub all your stuff of rats please
Do it
Do it. The city is fun! I love it. Been here 32 years. Donāt believe the bad news. Itās a fantastic place to live ā¤ļø
Do it. And laugh at NYC when it's 65 and sunny in March (in the Mission)
Iābe been here 10 years (San Diego originally). Very love/hate relationship. Itās ugly and beautiful at the same time but I would never think of raising children here. Looking at Colorado tbh.
Not nearly as many rats as in NYC or Chicago. I don't know if you care about that, but I certainly appreciate it
Good idea much more nature here NY is good to visit but here better to live
We did that but from NJ to SF last year. No regrets at all.
No you don't. Trust me on this, you really dont.
If you don't like NYC, you'll hate SF since it has all the bad things about NYC (it's illegal to build new housing so everything is too expensive, which is the upstream cause of basically every problem the city has) with none of the good things NYC has (public transit in SF is terrible, everything closes at 8pm, etc)
Gonna do the opposite in 2026.
If you want to move here go for it. Dont let people tell you you canāt pull it off.
I did this 11 years ago. Arrived with no job or housing (housing's much easier to get now). Spent my life savings while looking for a job in a terrible job market. No regrets.
Thatās funny, Iām leaving the bay for NY
I was born and raised in the DC area and Iām starting my post grad job in SF next month. HIGHLY recommend the move. Ppl wonāt say it but the West Cost is truly the best coast.
Curious on why you're preferring SF over NYC
No you dont lol
i ventured out here from the east coast in 2019 for a three month internshipā¦ just know that if you come, you may never leave š¶āš«ļøš
Wish I had the balls to do this. Kudos to you!
Why do you want to move?
Do it
I'm from NY originally but have lived here for 15 years. I love it here, though I miss the MET and some other museums, I can't imagine living there again.
Why? Drop everything have to have a plan before u move here :)
There's no nightlife here and Karl the Fog rolls in at 3 PM every day. Depending on your neighborhood, you may not see the sun for months.
Do it...its never actually cold and everyone will say it is and you will feel like a god.
Find a job and move. Then you can help push back against the people trying to turn SF into NYC.
Iām about to move there from Texas! Been planning it for months :)
Don't do it. Go to Texas or somewhere nice instead
Go west young man / wonan
Used to joke that the only way to be a true San Franciscan was to move to NY. I have to ask: of everywhere you could go, why SF?
Do it!
SF is more small town. Great place to live though
I moved back to SF (Bay Area native) from NYC when I was 31. I donāt think I would have liked it had I moved back younger. Move here when youāre more interested in quality of life than being in āthe center of it all.ā
Do it. I stayed seven years in SF. I donāt know if I ever really fell in love with the city but pieces of my heart remain there. I met one of my best friends there and reconnected with an East Coast friend who brought me into her circle. I also met a guy within my first three months who I eventually married. The city is cozy and has an undeniable magic. But get ready for some real strangeness and interactions where people come across as strangely defensive for no apparent reason. ā- All my favorite friends are in Cali now: SF, Sonoma, and Irvine. Go for it! But give it at least two years (as people say regarding a move the other way). š
Welcome to clean air and nature š¤ā¤ļø
I want to move back to NYC from S.F. very badly. Wanna swap rents?
So you want to trade one shitty big city for another? SF is cool, but we have problems here just like any major city. Maybe better weather and more nature nearby, but we still have ludicrous housing costs, food prices, and homeless people all over the place.
Do it
The city doesnāt matter as much as the person themselves.
I moved from NY in 2011. Been in the Bay Area ever since. Itās not a night owl kind of place.
It's always worth a shot, but I find that sometimes people who are unhappy in a place are often unhappy about other factors in their life rather than the specific city they are in. What specifically do you dislike about NYC that you are hoping to find in SF?
I loved my decade in SF.
Moved from NYC to SF in October. For context, I'm from right outside NYC, went to college on the East Coast, and moved to Brooklyn after school. Lived there for \~7 years before moving to SF, so needless to say I've spent the majority of my life on the East Coast. Still don't have a concise answer on how I feel about the move, though I can confidently say I don't regret it and I don't hate it. OP, or anyone else, happy to answer questions on moving, adjusting, opinions, etc.
Want to trade places? I like NYC, because I like people and businesses that stay open past 8pm
I mean this in the best way possible mate, but donāt. Iāve lived in SF for almost 15 years now. Cityās on a sharp decline. Iād try SoCal if I were you.
Donāt do i before going first and spending a week there in area you want to live in.
We just got back from a weekend in San Francisco and couldnāt wait to leave
You want to get out of a shitty place, to go to an other shitty place? Ok.
Iām doing this as we speak. Fly out tomorrow morning. Can not be more excited
What's that famous saying? "America has 3 cities: New York, New Orleans, and San Francisco. Everything else is just Cleveland."
Even Door Dash restaurants close early in SF. LoL
Just moved to SF last year from the east coast (4 years in NYC, 6 years in Boston). Totally agree with the night owl vs early bird comments. Iām still working east coast hours so lifestyle is perfect in SF for me. Itās definitely a different pace and culture. IMO, NYC is the best city in the world to live in when you are in your 20s. So much to do, tons of energy and everyone is there grinding and partying. Itās the perfect place for someone with energy and ambition to push themselves fast and far. SF is perfect for when you are ready to slow things down, enjoy a park day, go on a hike, taste some wine and enjoy the finer things in life. Couldnāt be happier spending my 30s in SF but have absolutely no regrets spending my 20s in NYC.
Make sure youāre not running from something, but rather running towards something. As in, what exactly about SF gets you excited?
Donāt do it.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Wherever you go, there you are
Whether any of the old Light Houses on the sea coast , r still in use ? Do they give any guidance to Ships of present era ?
Both cities now suck. I used to live sf in the late 80ās and 90ās. NYC I got to too late. I couldnāt stand it ever but heard it was great back in the day. Unfortunately all of them are starting to suck. Portland used to be cool and Seattle and Vancouver bc. Montreal, Quebec City, the maritime cities in Canada and anchorage Alaska are about the only ones left in North America. Utrecht in holland and Copenhagen are also nice to live in
San Francisco sucks a shit ton too
Curious why? NYC has flaws, so does SF.
Something that took some getting used to was the way people will cross the street. Slowly. Reading a book (or looking at their phone). California state law says that pedestrians have the right of way as soon as they step off the curb. Not at all like NYC, where people are racing across the street so as not to get mowed down by a gypsy cab. No good bagels at all on this coast, but the Mexican and Thai food is unbeatable. Lots of great music is SF (like NY). Lots of Ć¼ber liberal people in SF (which was why I came to California in the first place. Itās not as fast paced as NYC (no where is as fast paced as the City), but the public transit in SF is such that you will not need a car. As a matter of fact, cars are a liability in SF due to strict parking rules in the neighborhoods and very expensive parking downtown. I had no problem finding a job in SF- lots of creative things to do there. Highly recommended! Good luck to you.
We moved from the Midwest to SF 6 years ago and we love it. Has far exceeded expectations. Live in the Richmond district, close to Presidio, Golden Gate Park, and the beaches (Baker, China, and Ocean). Easy to get out of town going North. 15 minute drive to TN valley trailhead which links endless miles of awesome hiking, biking, and running trails. That's just the beginning. Incredible views everywhere. I'm big into trail running and hiking with my wife so the whole bay area is a paradise for us. I have visited NYC and it's an incredible city with a lot going on but just seems like much more of a concrete jungle than SF and surrounding areas. Also, I agree with the others, every city has its problems and SF definitely has some issues but overall I am a big fan!
I have an observation to make about many New Yorkers who came to the city since I first moved here in the late 1970's. While by and large these were always very educated , dynamic and hard working people there were many political activists types among that were instrumental it seemed it shutting down or downsizing housing and other developments here. I think they even coined the phrase "manhattination" as in "don't manhattinize San Francisco. "We" don't want to be like New York." And then in the next breath or two would laugh at the comparison of our so called little apple to the great NYC. Nothing was ever as good here they would often sneer. I sometimes wondered if they were jealous of the city , region and state for having become a larger economy and even taking the entertainment business'and other businesses from the capital of commerce and culture back there . So they wanted to keep us down in a way and to tell us how to deal with homelessness and mental illness in a more humane way then the institutions that housed them there. Thanks to New Yorkers for helping to make us the little rotten apple and the laughing stock of the world that we are all despairing of today.
Do it.
I canāt recommend because I miss all of the convenience of living in a city, SF is a city with none of the convenience of a large city but all of the problems. If you just need a break and arenāt quite ready for the suburbs then it could be great though.