A new report by realtor.com lists the metro areas where it’s cheaper to rent than to buy and the San Francisco / Oakland / Hayward area finished second nationwide as it’s 97 percent cheaper to rent a starter home.
Specifically, median rent for a starter home in the Bay Area is $2,943 and the monthly cost to buy is $5,798.
Not surprisingly the San Jose / Sunnyvale / Santa Clara area finished 4th with a rent-to-0buy difference of 83 percent.