Housing

Finding an apartment in San Francisco is genuinely hard, so give yourself a head start and don't get discouraged. Landlords mostly want to be sure you can pay. Everything else is about persistence.

Finding a place#

• It is extremely difficult to find an apartment, so start early.
• No credit score yet? Provide proof of monthly income, or ask your bank at home for a statement showing your savings. Landlords mainly want to know you can pay.
• If you are struggling to get selected, offer to pay a couple of months upfront.
• Arthur, a fellow Belgian, made a helpful site: apartmenthunter3000.com.
• Useful sites: Zillow, apartments.com, and Craigslist. Watch out for scams. You can also ask in WhatsApp or Facebook groups about taking over someone's lease.
• Prices are rising fast. Averages as of August 2026: $4,000 to $6,000 for a one bedroom, and $6,000 to $8,000 for a two bedroom.

Neighborhoods#

• Mission Bay: very expensive, but great if you need the Caltrain.
• North Beach: an older area, very lively.

What to check when visiting an apartment#

• Heat. The sun is strong and many places have no air conditioning. You often don't need AC, but a unit with lots of windows can get very hot.
• Noise from cars and highways. Landlords sometimes add water fountains or fake bird sounds to mask this during a viewing, so listen carefully.
• Trash collection. It is often scheduled per area, once a week on each side of the street, and it can be loud if you have single pane windows.
• The Muni tram. It can be very loud if you live close to it, especially where it rings at busy crossroads.

After you sign#

• Utilities: PG&E handles gas and electricity.
• Home internet: common options are Xfinity and AT&T, with Sonic a popular local provider.
• Renters insurance: landlords often require it, and it is cheap.
• Electronics: Belgian appliances run on 230V and will not work on US 110V. A plug adapter is not enough, so leave most electronics behind and buy them here.