Location Transport

Rough cost of moving to San Francisco?

I'm considering moving to San Francisco. My boyfriend there has an apartment and I wouldn't really have to help out much with rent or anything so that's not what I'm asking. How much money would be ideal to have saved up to move there, to cover food and such until I can land a job, and to pay for a transport pass (or whatever that is - I live in Omaha and have never used public transportation.) Also, would it be possible for anyone to point me to other information about public transport there (fees, other info) and other possible living expenses? Would moving there with roughly $1,000 be enough? Also wondered how easy it would be to get a job in the barista/cafe or bookstore industry there?

Public Comments

1. SF itself is very expensive... I would consider saving a bit more to come to the city. There are suburbs that are a bit cheaper than sf, and still relatively close. Check out craigslist.org so you can see how much apartmenst go for, etc. Good luck!
2. It's pretty easy to get a job in a cafe/bookstore/coffee shop. There are tons of them and turnover is usually fairly high. I would aim a little higher though. Those jobs tend to be at or just above minimum wage. It's extremely difficult to make it on that. I would plan on having a minimum of three months living expenses saved up. You should be able to find a job in that amount of time. More money, of course, is always better than less. Below are three transportation links. First is MUNI, you'll use this the most. A monthly pass is $45. Second is BART, not too useful for getting around town but can help you get out and about. Third is 511.org which will help you with route planning so you know how to get from place to place.
3. Maybe you should considering living in suburbs around SF. South SF or San Mateo is a lot cheaper and less crowded, though unless you like the packed crowded environment. I personally would never want to live in SF.