Updated July 2026Zillow Research
San Diego vs San Francisco: real estate market, July 2026
A side-by-side housing-market snapshot for San Diego, CA and San Francisco, CA for July 2026: San Diego at a $957K median versus $1.55M in San Francisco, plus days to pending and the buyer-vs-seller balance, built on Zillow Research figures.
| Metric | San Diego, CA | San Francisco, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $957K ▲ +3.8% | $1.55M ▲ +12.1% |
| Days to pending | 43 ▼ -10.4% | 33 ▼ -25.0% |
| Homes for sale | 3,496 ▼ -1.2% | 893 ▼ -28.1% |
| Sale-to-list | 99.2% ▲ +0.2% | 117.2% ▲ +9.1% |
| Months of supply (est.) | 2.4 ▼ -7.6% | 2.1 ▼ -24.2% |
| Homes sold (est.) | 1,840 ▲ +3.4% | 720 ▲ +10.9% |
(est.) = LOKAL estimate, not published by the source at city level.
Metro figures from Zillow Research, ZIP figures from Zillow Research where published, otherwise from the last public Redfin release (each post names its source). Verify against your MLS before posting.
The verdict
As of July 2026, San Diego is the more affordable of the two at a $957,036 median sale price, about 38% below San Francisco ($1,547,623). San Francisco is the faster-moving market, with homes going under contract in about 33 days versus 43 in San Diego.
Which market fits your client?
For a buyer client, San Diego offers a little more breathing room, with an estimated 2.4 months of supply against 2.1 in San Francisco, which usually means less bidding pressure. For a seller client, San Francisco is the tighter market, with a 117.2% sale-to-list ratio. On price momentum, San Francisco is appreciating faster (+12.1% vs +3.8% year over year).
How we compare these markets
We built LOKAL to pull San Diego's and San Francisco's numbers straight from Zillow Research, so an agent and a client compare like for like. For July 2026 we recorded a $957K median in San Diego and a $1.55M median in San Francisco, against roughly $922K a year earlier in 2025. Zillow Research has published these city-level series monthly since 2018, which is what lets us show year-over-year change here in 2026. For complementary demographics on each metro (population and median household income), see the U.S. Census Bureau. LOKAL is independent and not affiliated with Zillow; always verify against your MLS before you publish.
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Full San Diego and San Francisco market updates
Frequently asked
- Is San Diego or San Francisco more affordable?
- As of July 2026, San Diego is the more affordable market at a $957,036 median sale price, about 38% below San Francisco ($1,547,623), per Zillow Research.
- Which market moves faster, San Diego or San Francisco?
- San Francisco moves faster: a typical listing goes under contract in about 33 days, versus 43 days in San Diego (July 2026).
- Is San Diego or San Francisco better for buyers right now?
- San Diego gives buyers a little more room, with an estimated 2.4 months of supply versus 2.1 in San Francisco. More months of supply usually means less competition and more negotiating leverage for buyers.
- Where do these San Diego and San Francisco numbers come from?
- Both metros draw on Zillow Research, refreshed monthly. LOKAL turns the figures into a ready-to-post carousel, story and square for either city. LOKAL is not affiliated with Zillow; always verify against your local MLS before quoting figures to clients.
More San Diego comparisons
Data from Zillow Research. Figures are metro-level snapshots, not valuations for a specific home.