TheUtilityCalc TARIFF ENGINE • 2026
⚖️ Metro Utility Cost Comparison • 2026 Fiscal Records

San Francisco, CA vs New York City, NY

Relocating or comparing cost of living? Here is the complete head-to-head utility bill breakdown between San Francisco and New York City, based on public utility commission filings and municipal meter schedules.

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San Francisco

San Francisco County • Pop. 873,965

Average Bill: $445/mo
Cost Variance
+$5/mo
Annual Difference: $60/yr

San Francisco is approximately 1% more expensive than New York City in overall monthly utility bills.

New York View Calculator →

New York City

New York County (Manhattan) • Pop. 8,335,817

Average Bill: $440/mo
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Executive Summary & Citability Passage

EIA / NOAA / Municipal Survey 2026

In 2026, living in San Francisco, CA incurs an average monthly utility expense of $445, compared to $440 per month in New York City, NY. This reflects a 1% higher overall household utility cost, saving homeowners approximately $5 monthly or $60 each calendar year. Residential power tariffs in San Francisco average $0.345 per kWh supplied by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), whereas New York City residents pay $0.265 per kWh through Consolidated Edison (ConEd). Municipal water and sewer charges also diverge, with San Francisco averaging $52.50 in combined monthly meter baselines versus $37.50 in New York City. Climatologically, San Francisco registers 120 Cooling Degree Days and 2850 Heating Degree Days, compared to 1180 CDD and 4750 HDD in New York City, creating distinctly different seasonal heating and cooling load patterns across winter and summer quarters. Overall, verified 2026 public tariff benchmarks confirm that New York City maintains more economical municipal utility infrastructure than San Francisco.

Interactive Simulation

Household Sizing Simulator

Select your home type to adjust estimated monthly consumption for San Francisco and New York City.

San Francisco Est.
$445/mo
Power:$326
Water & Sewer:$150
Gas & Trash:$161
Projected Variance
+$5/mo

New York City saves your household roughly $60 per year at this consumption tier.

New York City Est.
$440/mo
Power:$258
Water & Sewer:$107
Gas & Trash:$102

Head-to-Head Utility Tariff Breakdown

Direct comparison of published rates, electric tariffs, and municipal meter charges.

EIA-861 Calibrated
Utility Component San Francisco, CA New York City, NY
⚡ Residential Electric Rate ($/kWh) $0.345 / kWh $0.265 / kWh
Electric Monthly Customer Base Fee $15.00/mo $19.50/mo
Electric Provider & Market Structure
Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E)
Regulated Monopoly Utility
Consolidated Edison (ConEd)
Deregulated REP Market
♨️ Natural Gas Rate ($/Therm) $2.25 / Therm $1.65 / Therm
Natural Gas Fixed Customer Charge $14.50/mo $28.00/mo
💧 Water Base Meter Charge (5/8" - 3/4") $24.00/mo $14.50/mo
Water Tier 1 Volumetric (per 1,000 gal) $7.10 $4.45
Water Tier 2 Conservation (per 1,000 gal) $11.20 $4.45
Wastewater / Sewer Rates Base: $28.50/mo
Volumetric: $9.20/1k gal 		Base: $23.00/mo
Volumetric: $7.08/1k gal
🗑️ Curbside Solid Waste & Recycling $45.00/mo $0.00/mo
Stormwater Drainage Clean Water Fee $12.00/mo $0.00/mo
Initial Move-in Deposit / Connection Fee Deposit: $250 – $400
Turn-on: $35.00 		Deposit: $200 – $400
Turn-on: $30.00

Climate & Seasonal HVAC Load Drivers

NOAA degree-day data dictating peak air conditioning and heating power spikes.

NOAA 1991–2020 Normals
Climate Indicator San Francisco, CA New York City, NY
☀️ Cooling Degree Days (CDD) 120 CDD 1,180 CDD
❄️ Heating Degree Days (HDD) 2,850 HDD 4,750 HDD
Peak Summer AC Bill Volatility +15% Summer Spike +42% Summer Spike
Regional Climate Summary Cool coastal maritime microclimate with persistent summer fog and mild winter temperatures. Dense urban heat island effect with high delivery tariffs and strict municipal regulations.

Clean Energy & Solar Economics

Rooftop solar irradiance and net metering rules to mitigate high utility bills.

NREL Solar Data
Solar Component San Francisco, CA New York City, NY
☀️ Daily Peak Sun Hours 5.1 hrs/day 4.5 hrs/day
Net Metering / Export Compensation CPUC Solar Billing Plan (NEM 3.0) with CleanPowerSF generation credits. NYSERDA NY-Sun Rebate + NY PSC Value of Distributed Energy Resources (VDER) & 1:1 net metering.
City Solar Calculator San Francisco Solar Estimator → New York City Solar Estimator →
🏙️ San Francisco Official Estimator

San Francisco, CA Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for San Francisco.

ZIP: san-francisco Open San Francisco Hub →
🏙️ New York City Official Estimator

New York City, NY Utility Calculator

Access the interactive multi-utility calculator, municipal moving checklists, and verified billing schedules for New York City.

ZIP: new-york-city Open New York City Hub →
Common Inquiries

Frequently Asked Questions: San Francisco vs New York City

Direct answers to key cost of living and utility comparison questions.

Is it cheaper to live in San Francisco or New York City for utilities? ▼
New York City, NY is approximately 1% cheaper than San Francisco, CA in overall monthly utility bills ($440/mo vs $445/mo). A typical household saves around $5 per month or $60 annually.
How do residential electric rates compare per kilowatt-hour? ▼
Residential electricity in San Francisco costs $0.345 per kWh supplied by Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), compared to $0.265 per kWh in New York City served by Consolidated Edison (ConEd). For a home consuming 1,000 kWh per month, this rate difference accounts for $80.00 in monthly energy charges before fixed customer meter charges.
What is the water and sewer rate difference between San Francisco and New York City? ▼
In San Francisco, the minimum fixed water meter charge is $24.00/mo plus $28.50/mo sewer baseline. In New York City, the base water fee is $14.50/mo with $23.00/mo sewer baseline. Volumetric Tier 1 water is $7.10/1k gal in San Francisco versus $4.45/1k gal in New York City.
How does weather and climate impact summer and winter power bills? ▼
San Francisco logs 120 Cooling Degree Days with a 15% summer AC bill surge. Conversely, New York City records 1,180 CDD with a 42% summer surge. Heating Degree Days measure 2,850 in San Francisco versus 4,750 in New York City.
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San Francisco vs Los Angeles, CA $445 vs $395 → San Francisco vs San Diego, CA $445 vs $465 → San Francisco vs Chicago, IL $445 vs $365 → San Francisco vs Houston, TX $445 vs $370 →

📍 Popular Comparisons for New York City

New York City vs Buffalo, NY $440 vs $355 → New York City vs Los Angeles, CA $440 vs $395 → New York City vs Chicago, IL $440 vs $365 → New York City vs Houston, TX $440 vs $370 →
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Official Municipal Filings

Tariff data is sourced directly from city council utility rate resolutions, Public Utility Commission (PUC) filings, and retail provider dockets.

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Federal Energy Benchmarks

U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Form EIA-861M residential sales data is leveraged to calibrate regional seasonal consumption models.

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USGS & NOAA Climate Standards

Water and sewer discharge volume models use USGS per capita metrics; HVAC load draws from NOAA Cooling & Heating Degree Day (CDD/HDD) indexes.

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Est. Monthly Bill
$335/mo