Los Angeles, CA vs San Francisco, CA: sales tax compared
Quick answer
Los Angeles, CA is the higher-tax metro at 9.5%, versus 8.625% in San Francisco, CA. The 0.875% gap works out to $0.88 on a $100 purchase, $8.75 on $1,000 and $218.75 on a $25,000 purchase.
- Rate gap
- 0.875%Percentage points, combined rate
- Extra tax on $1,000
- $8.75Paid in Los Angeles
- Extra tax on $25,000
- $218.75Vehicle-sized purchase
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles County
9.5%
Combined rate · ranked #9 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | California state (incl. mandatory local) | 7.25% |
| special district | Los Angeles County transit and homelessness districts | 2.25% |
- Population
- 3,820,914
- Median household income
- $80,366
Los Angeles County stacks several voter-approved district taxes — Measure M, Measure H and predecessors — which is the entire reason the rate is 2.25 points above the state floor.
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco County
8.625%
Combined rate · ranked #25 of 94 covered metros
| Level | Jurisdiction | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| state | California state (incl. mandatory local) | 7.25% |
| special district | San Francisco County transportation and homelessness districts | 1.375% |
- Population
- 808,988
- Median household income
- $141,446
San Francisco is a consolidated city and county, so there is no separate county layer — every local add-on is a voter-approved district tax.
How the difference is calculated
Same arithmetic the calculator on every page runs.
Each combined rate is the sum of its listed state, county, city and special-district components — no rounding is applied before the total. The dollar gap is the rate difference (0.875%) applied to the pre-tax amount: 0.875% of $1,000 is $8.75. Neither figure includes product-specific exemptions; groceries, clothing and digital goods can be taxed at a different rate or not at all, which is covered on each state's rules page.
Questions people ask
Direct answers to the questions this comparison raises.
Which has a higher sales tax rate, Los Angeles or San Francisco?
Los Angeles, CA at 9.5%, versus 8.625% in San Francisco, CA.
How much more sales tax would I pay in Los Angeles on a $1,000 purchase?
About $8.75 more, and roughly $218.75 more on a $25,000 vehicle-sized purchase.
Why do Los Angeles and San Francisco have different rates?
The state share is 7.25% in CA and 7.25% in CA. The rest comes from county, city and special-district increments stacked on top, which are set locally and listed in full on this page.
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