7 Things to know and do before moving to San Francisco

Cost of living - San Francisco

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  • San Francisco, California, is a dynamic and diverse city known for landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. This city is a major tech and startup hub near Silicon Valley, drawing tech professionals and entrepreneurs worldwide. San Francisco prioritizes progressive values, including environmental sustainability and LGBTQ+ rights.

    Considering San Francisco’s current safety trend, the safest neighborhood has a crime rate of 111.09 crimes per 1,000 people. Overall, San Francisco’s mix of natural beauty, culture, and tech innovation offers a unique living experience.

    Are you planning to move soon? Read on to learn more about the 7 things to know before moving to San Francisco.

    Moving to San Francisco: Everything to know and do

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    1. First steps before moving to San Francisco

    Finding a job

    In August 2023, San Francisco’s unemployment rate increased to 3.5%, up from 3.2% in July 2023 and higher than the 2.5% rate a year ago. The job growth in the Tech sector has been the main driver, with information and professional services sectors adding 6,000 jobs in June.

    Jobs that are often in high demand are business operations associate, product manager, UX/UI designer, and software developer/engineer.

    Finding a job in San Francisco is easier if you search online for job openings. Popular websites for this include SimplyHired, Indeed, and LinkedIn.

    Getting there

    Below are some travel options to get to San Francisco City from different parts of the country include:

    Flying: Flying is the most convenient way to move to San Francisco. If you arrive at San Francisco International Airport by plane, one convenient way to get into the city is to use the Bay Area Rapid Transit system, sometimes known as BART. The airport features a BART station where you may buy a ticket, board the train, and instantly depart.

    Train: You can also take the train with Amtrak as an alternative.

    Bus: If you want another way to travel, many California cities have bus services like Megabus, and BoltBus, that can get you there.

    If you are flying and require assistance with moving your belongings, you can explore options provided by reputable long-distance moving companies.

    Must dos before your arrival

    Moving to San Francisco may be exciting and will challenge you in many ways. By knowing these things beforehand, you will be better prepared for your new life in the city.

    2. Upon your arrival in San Francisco

    Must dos right upon your arrival

    Exchanging your driver’s license

    According to California law, if you move into the state and decide to stay, you should apply for a California driver’s license within ten days of doing so. It is important to update your address with the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). This is a state-level government agency that handles everything related to vehicles and licenses.

    Setting up a bank account

    When you move to San Francisco, setting up a bank account is significant. It serves as proof of residency for tasks like getting a driver’s license and signing up for home services. You can pick from banks like Bank of America, headquartered here, or go with Wells Fargo, the region’s largest bank with 150 branches.

    Getting health insurance

    Healthcare has quite a good reputation in San Francisco with all its high quality medical institutions. With all the big tech industry companies in San Francisco, there are definitely some great employer sponsored insurance packages.

    Type of healthcare

    Cost

    Employer-sponsored health insurance

    Non-employer-sponsored health insurance