According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices in San Francisco, California are 471.73% higher in 2026 versus 1978 (a $3,632,350.94 difference in value).
Between 1978 and 2026, San Francisco experienced an average inflation rate of 3.70% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, $770,000 in San Francisco in the year 1978 would cost $4,402,350.94 in 2026 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 1978-2026 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1978 (7.63%), inflation in San Francisco was higher.
The official rate is based on an average household's spending, so your own inflation rate is probably different. The personal inflation calculator works it out from your budget.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power in San Francisco, over time, for $770,000 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 | $770,000.00 | 9.85% |
| 1979 | $833,232.85 | 8.21% |
| 1980 | $961,699.58 | 15.42% |
| 1981 | $1,082,862.53 | 12.60% |
| 1982 | $1,171,608.63 | 8.20% |
| 1983 | $1,179,412.68 | 0.67% |
| 1984 | $1,246,047.30 | 5.65% |
| 1985 | $1,299,074.84 | 4.26% |
| 1986 | $1,339,495.84 | 3.11% |
| 1987 | $1,385,419.70 | 3.43% |
| 1988 | $1,446,751.56 | 4.43% |
| 1989 | $1,516,988.05 | 4.85% |
| 1990 | $1,585,423.60 | 4.51% |
| 1991 | $1,655,760.14 | 4.44% |
| 1992 | $1,710,888.77 | 3.33% |
| 1993 | $1,757,012.73 | 2.70% |
| 1994 | $1,784,727.13 | 1.58% |
| 1995 | $1,819,745.32 | 1.96% |
| 1996 | $1,861,767.15 | 2.31% |
| 1997 | $1,925,600.31 | 3.43% |
| 1998 | $1,985,231.29 | 3.10% |
| 1999 | $2,067,173.86 | 4.13% |
| 2000 | $2,158,521.31 | 4.42% |
| 2001 | $2,277,082.90 | 5.49% |
| 2002 | $2,315,602.91 | 1.69% |
| 2003 | $2,357,524.69 | 1.81% |
| 2004 | $2,384,838.88 | 1.16% |
| 2005 | $2,431,763.25 | 1.97% |
| 2006 | $2,508,703.22 | 3.16% |
| 2007 | $2,589,914.41 | 3.24% |
| 2008 | $2,674,606.41 | 3.27% |
| 2009 | $2,691,293.07 | 0.62% |
| 2010 | $2,729,340.84 | 1.41% |
| 2011 | $2,798,812.93 | 2.55% |
| 2012 | $2,874,703.35 | 2.71% |
| 2013 | $2,938,722.61 | 2.23% |
| 2014 | $3,022,121.93 | 2.84% |
| 2015 | $3,099,342.05 | 2.56% |
| 2016 | $3,194,161.30 | 3.06% |
| 2017 | $3,298,574.55 | 3.27% |
| 2018 | $3,425,347.40 | 3.84% |
| 2019 | $3,539,181.54 | 3.32% |
| 2020 | $3,601,253.78 | 1.75% |
| 2021 | $3,716,153.47 | 3.19% |
| 2022 | $3,922,154.48 | 5.54% |
| 2023 | $4,067,325.90 | 3.70% |
| 2024 | $4,182,332.64 | 2.83% |
| 2025 | $4,273,955.24 | 2.19% |
| 2026 | $4,402,350.94 | 3.00%* |
* 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 | 2026 |
| 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 | 355.978 | 366.672 |