Daly City vs San Mateo: Cost of Living (2026)
A side-by-side comparison of Daly City, CA and San Mateo, CA, using US Census Bureau data.
| Metric | Daly City, CA | San Mateo, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 103,648 | 104,165 |
| Median household income | $114,910 | $149,152 |
| Median home value | $1,073,100 | $1,508,900 |
| Median rent (/mo) | $2,554 | $2,971 |
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Highlighted cell = more affordable / higher income.
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compare-top (set NEXT_PUBLIC_ADSENSE_CLIENT to serve real ads)Comparing Daly City, CA and San Mateo, CA comes down to what you value most. Daly City has the lower median home value, and Daly City has the lower median rent.
San Mateo has the higher median household income, which affects how far a paycheck stretches against local housing costs. The table below breaks down the key numbers side by side, all sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Frequently asked questions
- Is it cheaper to live in Daly City or San Mateo?
- By median home value, Daly City is the cheaper of the two ($1,073,100 vs $1,508,900). Rent and income differ too — see the full comparison above.
- Which has higher salaries, Daly City or San Mateo?
- Median household income is $114,910 in Daly City versus $149,152 in San Mateo, per the US Census Bureau.