Thought San Francisco was expensive? It turns out city living is cheaper when it comes to getting around.
That's the conclusion of a new study by the Urban Land Institute, which finds that San Franciscan households spend an average of $792 a month on transportation. Compare that to exurban Oakley, where houses are cheaper, but the transportation bill, at $1,510 a month, is nearly double.
Even San Jose, despite its light-rail and Caltrain links, comes in 50 percent higher than San Francisco, at $1,188 a month.
Those dollar figures don't take into account the environmental impact of long suburban commutes. At seven by seven miles, compact San Francisco just requires less energy to get around.
Of course, suburbanites might argue that you get what you pay for. Car commuters might be jammed on Bay Area highways for hours. But at least they're not subject to Muni humpers, racially charged catfights, and the occasional beating.
The things San Franciscans put up with, all in the name of saving money and the planet!
