According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California are 453.38% higher in 2025 versus 1978 (a $30,829.61 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2025: San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of 3.71% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $6,800 in San Francisco in the year 1978 would cost $37,629.61 in 2025 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.45% during this same period, inflation in San Francisco was higher.
In the year 1978: Pricing changed by 9.85%, which is significantly above the average yearly change in San Francisco during the 1978-2025 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation in San Francisco was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $6,800 beginning in 1978. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | $6,800.00 | 9.85% |
| 1979 | $7,358.42 | 8.21% |
| 1980 | $8,492.93 | 15.42% |
| 1981 | $9,562.94 | 12.60% |
| 1982 | $10,346.67 | 8.20% |
| 1983 | $10,415.59 | 0.67% |
| 1984 | $11,004.05 | 5.65% |
| 1985 | $11,472.35 | 4.26% |
| 1986 | $11,829.31 | 3.11% |
| 1987 | $12,234.88 | 3.43% |
| 1988 | $12,776.51 | 4.43% |
| 1989 | $13,396.78 | 4.85% |
| 1990 | $14,001.14 | 4.51% |
| 1991 | $14,622.30 | 4.44% |
| 1992 | $15,109.15 | 3.33% |
| 1993 | $15,516.48 | 2.70% |
| 1994 | $15,761.23 | 1.58% |
| 1995 | $16,070.48 | 1.96% |
| 1996 | $16,441.58 | 2.31% |
| 1997 | $17,005.30 | 3.43% |
| 1998 | $17,531.91 | 3.10% |
| 1999 | $18,255.56 | 4.13% |
| 2000 | $19,062.27 | 4.42% |
| 2001 | $20,109.30 | 5.49% |
| 2002 | $20,449.48 | 1.69% |
| 2003 | $20,819.70 | 1.81% |
| 2004 | $21,060.91 | 1.16% |
| 2005 | $21,475.31 | 1.97% |
| 2006 | $22,154.78 | 3.16% |
| 2007 | $22,871.97 | 3.24% |
| 2008 | $23,619.90 | 3.27% |
| 2009 | $23,767.26 | 0.62% |
| 2010 | $24,103.27 | 1.41% |
| 2011 | $24,716.79 | 2.55% |
| 2012 | $25,386.99 | 2.71% |
| 2013 | $25,952.36 | 2.23% |
| 2014 | $26,688.87 | 2.84% |
| 2015 | $27,370.81 | 2.56% |
| 2016 | $28,208.18 | 3.06% |
| 2017 | $29,130.27 | 3.27% |
| 2018 | $30,249.82 | 3.84% |
| 2019 | $31,255.11 | 3.32% |
| 2020 | $31,803.28 | 1.75% |
| 2021 | $32,817.98 | 3.19% |
| 2022 | $34,637.21 | 5.54% |
| 2023 | $35,919.24 | 3.70% |
| 2024 | $36,934.89 | 2.83% |
| 2025 | $37,629.61 | 1.88%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for San Francisco, California:
| Year | 1914 | 1915 | 1916 | 1917 | 1918 | 1919 | 1920 | 1921 | 1922 | 1923 | 1924 | 1925 | 1926 | 1927 | 1928 | 1929 | 1930 | 1931 | 1932 | 1933 | 1934 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
| CPI | 9.200 | 9.200 | 9.267 | 10.133 | 11.808 | 14.583 | 16.917 | 15.567 | 14.667 | 14.633 | 14.708 | 14.992 | 15.125 | 14.992 | 14.858 | 14.892 | 14.683 | 13.600 | 12.475 | 11.858 | 12.208 | 12.433 | 12.350 | 12.775 | 12.833 | 12.683 | 12.658 | 13.350 | 14.958 | 15.950 | 16.358 | 16.817 | 18.150 | 20.483 | 21.958 | 22.042 | 21.925 | 23.642 | 24.575 | 25.025 | 25.075 | 24.900 | 25.358 | 26.433 | 27.408 | 27.942 | 28.517 | 28.892 | 29.333 | 29.750 | 30.208 | 30.775 | 31.525 | 32.417 | 33.850 | 35.633 | 37.542 | 38.967 | 40.325 | 42.567 | 46.533 | 51.400 | 54.417 | 58.383 | 64.133 | 69.400 | 80.100 | 90.192 | 97.583 | 98.233 | 103.783 | 108.200 | 111.567 | 115.392 | 120.500 | 126.350 | 132.050 | 137.908 | 142.500 | 146.342 | 148.650 | 151.567 | 155.067 | 160.383 | 165.350 | 172.175 | 179.783 | 189.658 | 192.867 | 196.358 | 198.633 | 202.542 | 208.950 | 215.714 | 222.768 | 224.158 | 227.327 | 233.113 | 239.434 | 244.766 | 251.713 | 258.144 | 266.042 | 274.738 | 285.297 | 294.779 | 299.949 | 309.519 | 326.676 | 338.768 | 348.347 | 354.899 |