- Average San Francisco car insurance cost is $2,104 per year, or about $175 per month.
- Crossover vehicles like the Hyundai Kona, Honda CR-V, Mazda CX-3, and Chevrolet Trax are the top choices for cheap car insurance in San Francisco.
- Models with the lowest cost car insurance in San Francisco for their segment include the Ford F150 at $2,092 per year, Chevrolet Spark at $1,640 per year, Volvo V60 at $2,010 per year, and Honda Insight at $1,938 per year.
- Car insurance quotes in San Francisco can vary from as low as $30 per month for minimum liability insurance to over $654 per month for high-risk drivers.
How much does San Francisco car insurance cost?
The average car insurance cost in San Francisco is $2,104 per year, which is 38.1% more than the overall national average rate of $1,523. The average monthly cost of car insurance in San Francisco is $175 for a full-coverage car insurance policy.
In the state of California, the average car insurance cost is $1,658 per year, so the average cost in San Francisco is $446 more per year. The average cost of car insurance in San Francisco compared to other California locations is $348 per year less than in Los Angeles, $454 per year more expensive than in San Diego, and $366 per year more than in San Jose.
The chart below shows average San Francisco auto insurance cost for all 2021 models. Rates are averaged for all San Francisco Zip Codes and shown not only by the age of the driver, but also by three different comprehensive and collision deductibles.
In the chart above, the cost of auto insurance in San Francisco ranges from $1,594 per year for a 60-year-old driver with a policy with high physical damage deductibles to $4,842 per year for a 20-year-old driver with a low deductible. From a monthly standpoint, the average cost in the previous chart ranges from $133 to $404 per month.
The age of the driver influences the price you pay for car insurance, so the list below illustrates these differences by showing average car insurance rates in San Francisco for driver ages from 16 to 60.
Average cost of car insurance in San Francisco, CA, by driver age
- 16-year-old driver – $7,538 per year or $628 per month
- 17-year-old driver – $7,042 per year or $587 per month
- 18-year-old driver – $6,572 per year or $548 per month
- 19-year-old driver – $5,946 per year or $496 per month
- 20-year-old driver – $4,176 per year or $348 per month
- 30-year-old driver – $2,214 per year or $185 per month
- 40-year-old driver – $2,104 per year or $175 per month
- 50-year-old driver – $1,916 per year or $160 per month
- 60-year-old driver – $1,882 per year or $157 per month
Which autos have the cheapest car insurance?
When comparing all car, SUV, and pickup models, the models with the cheapest auto insurance prices in San Francisco, CA, tend to be small SUVs like the Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-5, and Mazda CX-30.
Average car insurance rates for those models cost $1,742 or less per year ($145 per month) for full coverage car insurance.
A few other vehicles that have very good insurance quotes in our car insurance cost comparison are the Kia Sedona, Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Kicks, and Kia Sportage. Average car insurance rates are slightly higher for those models than the cheapest compact SUVs and crossovers at the top of the list, but they still have average rates of $1,786 or less per year in San Francisco.
The following table shows the 30 cheapest vehicles to insure in San Francisco, sorted by annual and monthly insurance cost.
| Rank | Make/Model | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mazda CX-3 | $1,630 | $136 |
| 2 | Chevrolet Spark | $1,640 | $137 |
| 3 | Honda CR-V | $1,694 | $141 |
| 4 | Mazda CX-5 | $1,716 | $143 |
| 5 | Kia Rio5 | $1,718 | $143 |
| 6 | Mazda CX-30 | $1,720 | $143 |
| 7 | Ford Ecosport | $1,728 | $144 |
| 8 | Toyota Corolla | $1,730 | $144 |
| 9 | Toyota C-HR | $1,732 | $144 |
| 10 | Nissan Rogue Sport | $1,742 | $145 |
| 11 | Hyundai Kona | $1,746 | $146 |
| 12 | Chevrolet Trax | $1,752 | $146 |
| 13 | Kia Sedona | $1,758 | $147 |
| 14 | Buick Envision | $1,762 | $147 |
| 15 | Chevrolet Colorado | $1,762 | $147 |
| 16 | Nissan Kicks | $1,766 | $147 |
| 17 | Hyundai Venue | $1,768 | $147 |
| 18 | Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | $1,770 | $148 |
| 19 | Hyundai Tucson | $1,774 | $148 |
| 20 | Kia Sportage | $1,778 | $148 |
| 21 | Jeep Compass | $1,786 | $149 |
| 22 | Ford Edge | $1,790 | $149 |
| 23 | Kia Soul | $1,790 | $149 |
| 24 | Volkswagen Golf | $1,790 | $149 |
| 25 | Acura RDX | $1,792 | $149 |
| 26 | Chevrolet Equinox | $1,800 | $150 |
| 27 | Chevrolet Blazer | $1,802 | $150 |
| 28 | Subaru Impreza | $1,806 | $151 |
| 29 | Chevrolet Trailblazer | $1,810 | $151 |
| 30 | Honda Passport | $1,812 | $151 |
A list of 30 vehicle models with cheap San Francisco car insurance doesn’t really provide a detailed summary of the cost of car insurance. Considering we track over 700 vehicles, less than 4% of total vehicles are shown. Let’s take a different approach and break out the cheapest models in a better format, by automotive segment.
The next section of this article showcases the different automotive segments and the average cost of auto insurance in San Francisco. The average rates shown will give you a good idea of which segements have the overall cheapest average car insurance rates. Then the following six sections show the cheapest insurance rates for specific models in each individual segment.
Car insurance rates by automotive segment
If you’re considering buying a new car, it’s useful to have an idea of which styles of vehicles have more favorable auto insurance rates.
For instance, many people wonder if midsize SUVs have more affordable insurance than full-size SUVs or which size of luxury car has costs less to insure.
The chart below shows average auto insurance cost by vehicle segment in San Francisco. In general, compact SUVs and midsize pickup trucks have the least expensive rates, with sports cars and performance luxury models having the most expensive average insurance cost.
Average auto insurance rates by segment are fine for making an overall comparison, but cost varies significantly within each of the segments displayed in the previous chart.
For example, in the midsize luxury car segment, car insurance rates in San Francisco range from the Acura ILX costing $1,952 per year for full coverage insurance up to the BMW M5 at $3,626 per year.
As another example, in the large luxury SUV segment, the cost of insurance ranges from the Volvo XC90 costing $2,252 per year to the Mercedes-Benz G63 AMG costing $4,116 per year.
In the following sections, we eliminate much of the variability by analyzing the cost of auto insurance in San Francisco for specific vehicles rather than by segments.
Cheapest car insurance rates in San Francisco, CA
Ranking in the top five for the cheapest San Francisco car insurance rates in the car segment (excluding luxury models) are the Kia Rio5, Toyota Corolla, Subaru Impreza, Chevrolet Spark, and Volkswagen Golf. Auto insurance rates for these 2021 models average $151 or less per month.
Not the cheapest in the list, but still ranking well, are cars like the Nissan Sentra, Kia Rio, Mazda 3, and Honda Insight, with average cost of $1,938 per year or less.
Additional vehicles that rank well include the Kia Forte, Chevrolet Malibu, Mazda 6, and Honda Accord, which cost between $1,938 and $2,138 per year for auto insurance.
Auto insurance in this segment can cost as low as $137 per month, depending on the company.
The most budget-friendly non-luxury compact car to insure in San Francisco is the Chevrolet Spark at $1,640 per year. For midsize cars, the Honda Insight has the cheapest rates at $1,938 per year. And for full-size non-luxury cars, the Kia Cadenza has the cheapest car insurance rates at $2,116 per year.
The table below ranks the cars with the most affordable car insurance rates in San Francisco, starting with the Chevrolet Spark at $137 per month and ending with the Volkswagen Passat at $178 per month.
| Make/Model | Vehicle Size | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Spark | Compact | $1,640 | $137 |
| Kia Rio5 | Compact | $1,718 | $143 |
| Toyota Corolla | Compact | $1,730 | $144 |
| Volkswagen Golf | Compact | $1,790 | $149 |
| Subaru Impreza | Compact | $1,806 | $151 |
| Nissan Sentra | Compact | $1,880 | $157 |
| Honda Civic | Compact | $1,898 | $158 |
| Mazda 3 | Compact | $1,902 | $159 |
| Kia Rio | Compact | $1,934 | $161 |
| Honda Insight | Midsize | $1,938 | $162 |
| Hyundai Accent | Compact | $1,950 | $163 |
| Mazda 6 | Midsize | $1,976 | $165 |
| Kia Forte | Compact | $1,980 | $165 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | Midsize | $1,986 | $166 |
| Toyota Prius | Compact | $2,096 | $175 |
| Subaru Legacy | Midsize | $2,108 | $176 |
| Kia Cadenza | Full-size | $2,116 | $176 |
| Honda Accord | Midsize | $2,130 | $178 |
| Toyota Camry | Midsize | $2,134 | $178 |
| Volkswagen Passat | Midsize | $2,138 | $178 |
For all vehicle comparisons, see our guides for compact car insurance, midsize car insurance, and full-size car insurance.
Is your vehicle not in the list? No sweat! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap San Francisco car insurance quotes from the best companies in California.
Cheapest SUV insurance rates in San Francisco
Ranking highest for the most affordable San Francisco auto insurance rates in the non-luxury SUV segment are the Ford Ecosport, Mazda CX-5, Mazda CX-3, Mazda CX-30, and Honda CR-V. Car insurance prices for these 2021 models average $1,728 or less per year, or around $144 per month.
Also ranking well in our comparison are SUVs like the Chevrolet Trax, Nissan Rogue Sport, Buick Envision, and Toyota C-HR, with an average cost of $1,762 per year or less.
Some additional 2021 models that make the list include the Hyundai Tucson, Jeep Compass, Nissan Kicks, Chevrolet Equinox, and Chevrolet Blazer, which average between $1,762 and $1,800 to insure per year.
From a monthly standpoint, full-coverage insurance on this segment in San Francisco for a good driver starts at around $136 per month, depending on your company and location.
The lowest-cost non-luxury compact SUV to insure in San Francisco is the Mazda CX-3 at $1,630 per year. For midsize SUVs, the Ford Edge has the cheapest rates at $1,790 per year. And for large SUVs, the Chevrolet Tahoe has the most affordable rates at $2,172 per year.
The rate comparison table below ranks the SUVs with the cheapest car insurance in San Francisco, starting with the Mazda CX-3 at $1,630 per year and ending with the Chevrolet Equinox at $1,800 per year.
| Make/Model | Vehicle Size | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda CX-3 | Compact | $1,630 | $136 |
| Honda CR-V | Compact | $1,694 | $141 |
| Mazda CX-5 | Compact | $1,716 | $143 |
| Mazda CX-30 | Compact | $1,720 | $143 |
| Ford Ecosport | Compact | $1,728 | $144 |
| Toyota C-HR | Compact | $1,732 | $144 |
| Nissan Rogue Sport | Compact | $1,742 | $145 |
| Hyundai Kona | Compact | $1,746 | $146 |
| Chevrolet Trax | Compact | $1,752 | $146 |
| Buick Envision | Compact | $1,762 | $147 |
| Nissan Kicks | Compact | $1,766 | $147 |
| Hyundai Venue | Compact | $1,768 | $147 |
| Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross | Compact | $1,770 | $148 |
| Hyundai Tucson | Compact | $1,774 | $148 |
| Kia Sportage | Compact | $1,778 | $148 |
| Jeep Compass | Compact | $1,786 | $149 |
| Ford Edge | Midsize | $1,790 | $149 |
| Kia Soul | Compact | $1,790 | $149 |
| Chevrolet Equinox | Compact | $1,800 | $150 |
| Chevrolet Blazer | Midsize | $1,802 | $150 |
For all vehicle comparisons, see our guides for compact SUV insurance, midsize SUV insurance, and full-size SUV insurance.
Is your SUV missing from the table above? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table above and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from top-rated car insurance companies in California.
Cheapest pickup truck insurance rates in San Francisco
Ranking at the top for the cheapest San Francisco auto insurance rates in the pickup truck segment are the Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado, GMC Canyon, Toyota Tacoma, and Ford Ranger. Insurance rates for these 2021 models average $167 or less per month.
Additional pickups that rank well are the Ford F150, GMC Sierra, Jeep Gladiator, and Toyota Tundra, with average cost of $2,220 per year or less.
From a monthly standpoint, car insurance rates in San Francisco on this segment for the average driver starts at around $147 per month, depending on your location and insurance company. The rate comparison table below ranks the pickups with the cheapest car insurance rates in San Francisco.
| Make/Model | Vehicle Size | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Colorado | Midsize | $1,762 | $147 |
| Nissan Frontier | Midsize | $1,844 | $154 |
| Ford Ranger | Midsize | $1,852 | $154 |
| Toyota Tacoma | Midsize | $1,854 | $155 |
| GMC Canyon | Midsize | $2,008 | $167 |
| Jeep Gladiator | Midsize | $2,028 | $169 |
| Honda Ridgeline | Midsize | $2,046 | $171 |
| Ford F150 | Full-size | $2,092 | $174 |
| Toyota Tundra | Full-size | $2,138 | $178 |
| GMC Sierra | Full-size | $2,220 | $185 |
| Ram Truck | Full-size | $2,268 | $189 |
| Nissan Titan | Full-size | $2,272 | $189 |
| Chevrolet Silverado | Full-size | $2,316 | $193 |
| Chevrolet Silverado HD 3500 | Heavy Duty | $2,356 | $196 |
| GMC Sierra 2500 HD | Heavy Duty | $2,450 | $204 |
| Chevrolet Silverado HD 2500 | Heavy Duty | $2,464 | $205 |
| GMC Sierra 3500 | Heavy Duty | $2,512 | $209 |
| Ford F250 Super Duty | Heavy Duty | $2,542 | $212 |
| Ford F350 Super Duty | Heavy Duty | $2,544 | $212 |
| Ram Truck 2500 | Heavy Duty | $2,546 | $212 |
See our comprehensive guides for midsize pickup insurance and large pickup insurance to view data for pickups not featured in the table.
Don’t see rates for your pickup? No sweat! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free San Francisco car insurance quotes from top car insurance companies in California.
Cheapest sports cars to insure in San Francisco, California
Ranked at #1 in San Francisco for the lowest-cost average insurance in the sports car segment is the Mazda MX-5 Miata, at $1,826 per year. Second place is the Ford Mustang at $2,226 per year, in third place is the Audi TT, costing an average of $2,374 per year, and the fourth cheapest is the Subaru WRX, costing an average of $2,402 per year.
Also ranking well in our comparison are models like the Porsche 718, Toyota Supra, Subaru BRZ, and Chevrolet Camaro, with an average cost of $2,688 per year or less.
Ranked in the bottom half of the top 20 cheapest sports cars to insure, models like the Porsche 911, Jaguar F-Type, Mercedes-Benz Maybach, BMW i8, Mercedes-Benz AMG GT, and BMW Alpina B7 average between $2,688 and $4,270 per year for auto insurance in San Francisco.
On a monthly basis, car insurance rates in this segment can cost as low as $152 per month, depending on your location and insurance company.
The next table ranks the twenty sports cars with the most affordable average insurance rates in San Francisco, starting with the Mazda MX-5 Miata at $1,826 per year and ending with the Mercedes-Benz Maybach at $4,270 per year.
| Make/Model | Vehicle Type | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mazda MX-5 Miata | Sports Car | $1,826 | $152 |
| Ford Mustang | Sports Car | $2,226 | $186 |
| Audi TT | Sports Car | $2,374 | $198 |
| Subaru WRX | Sports Car | $2,402 | $200 |
| Nissan 370Z | Sports Car | $2,444 | $204 |
| Toyota Supra | Sports Car | $2,456 | $205 |
| Subaru BRZ | Sports Car | $2,564 | $214 |
| Porsche 718 | Sports Car | $2,616 | $218 |
| Chevrolet Corvette | Sports Car | $2,628 | $219 |
| Chevrolet Camaro | Sports Car | $2,688 | $224 |
| Dodge Challenger | Sports Car | $2,884 | $240 |
| Jaguar F-Type | Sports Car | $3,254 | $271 |
| Lexus LC 500 | Sports Car | $3,374 | $281 |
| Porsche 911 | Sports Car | $3,504 | $292 |
| Acura NSX | Sports Car | $3,990 | $333 |
| BMW i8 | Sports Car | $3,994 | $333 |
| Audi R8 | Sports Car | $4,292 | $358 |
| Nissan GT-R | Sports Car | $4,296 | $358 |
Don’t see your sports car in the list? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from the best companies in California.
Cheapest luxury car insurance rates in San Francisco
Ranked at #1 in San Francisco for cheapest insurance in the luxury sedan segment is the Acura ILX, at an average of $1,952 per year. Second place is the Mercedes-Benz A220 at $2,040 per year, and the third most affordable is the Volvo S60, costing an average of $2,206 per year.
Additional luxury cars that have affordable insurance rates include the Lexus RC 350, Lexus ES 350, Acura TLX, and Cadillac CT4, with average insurance cost of $2,324 per year or less.
Ranked in the bottom half of the top 20 cheapest luxury cars to insure, cars like the Genesis G70, Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45, Audi A5, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Lexus IS 300, and Cadillac CT5 average between $2,324 and $2,420 to insure per year in San Francisco.
On a monthly basis, full-coverage car insurance on this segment in San Francisco for the average driver will start around $163 per month, depending on your location.
The lowest-cost compact luxury car to insure in San Francisco is the Mercedes-Benz A220 at $2,040 per year. For midsize luxury models, the Acura ILX is the cheapest model to insure at $1,952 per year. And for large luxury cars, the Audi A5 has the cheapest rates at $2,366 per year.
The rate comparison table below ranks the twenty cars with the cheapest car insurance rates in San Francisco, starting with the Acura ILX at $1,952 per year ($163 per month) and ending with the Cadillac CT5 at $2,420 per year ($202 per month).
| Make/Model | Vehicle Size | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acura ILX | Midsize | $1,952 | $163 |
| Mercedes-Benz A220 | Compact | $2,040 | $170 |
| Volvo S60 | Compact | $2,206 | $184 |
| Lexus RC 300 | Midsize | $2,250 | $188 |
| BMW 330i | Compact | $2,260 | $188 |
| BMW Z4 | Compact | $2,268 | $189 |
| Cadillac CT4 | Compact | $2,270 | $189 |
| Acura TLX | Compact | $2,298 | $192 |
| Lexus ES 350 | Midsize | $2,316 | $193 |
| Lexus RC 350 | Compact | $2,324 | $194 |
| Mercedes-Benz AMG CLA45 | Midsize | $2,332 | $194 |
| BMW i3 | Compact | $2,334 | $195 |
| BMW 230i | Compact | $2,344 | $195 |
| Lexus IS 300 | Midsize | $2,360 | $197 |
| Audi A5 | Full-size | $2,366 | $197 |
| Genesis G70 | Compact | $2,374 | $198 |
| Alfa Romeo Giulia | Compact | $2,376 | $198 |
| Audi S3 | Compact | $2,388 | $199 |
| Audi A3 | Midsize | $2,394 | $200 |
| Cadillac CT5 | Midsize | $2,420 | $202 |
See our comprehensive guide for luxury car insurance to view data for vehicles not featured in the table.
Don’t see insurance rates for your vehicle? That’s no problem! Enter your zip code at the bottom of the table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get free car insurance quotes from the best car insurance companies in California.
Cheapest luxury SUV insurance rates in San Francisco
The four cheapest luxury SUV models to insure in San Francisco are the Acura RDX at $1,792 per year, Cadillac XT4 at $1,850 per year, Volvo XC40 at $1,892 per year, and Volvo V60 at $2,010 per year.
Other models that rank well include the Lincoln Nautilus, Lexus RX 350, Lexus UX 250H, and Volvo XC60, with an average cost to insure of $2,154 per year or less.
As a cost per month, full-coverage car insurance in this segment for a good driver can cost as low as $149 per month, depending on the company. The table below ranks the twenty SUVs with the lowest-cost insurance rates in San Francisco, starting with the Acura RDX at $1,792 per year ($149 per month) and ending with the Land Rover Defender at $2,242 per year ($187 per month).
| Make/Model | Vehicle Size | Annual Cost | Monthly Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acura RDX | Compact | $1,792 | $149 |
| Cadillac XT4 | Compact | $1,850 | $154 |
| Volvo XC40 | Compact | $1,892 | $158 |
| Volvo V60 | Midsize | $2,010 | $168 |
| Cadillac XT5 | Midsize | $2,060 | $172 |
| Lincoln Corsair | Compact | $2,088 | $174 |
| Lexus UX 250H | Compact | $2,106 | $176 |
| Lincoln Nautilus | Midsize | $2,116 | $176 |
| Volvo XC60 | Compact | $2,126 | $177 |
| Lexus RX 350 | Midsize | $2,154 | $180 |
| Lexus UX 200 | Compact | $2,158 | $180 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLB 250 | Compact | $2,158 | $180 |
| BMW X1 | Compact | $2,160 | $180 |
| Infiniti QX50 | Midsize | $2,164 | $180 |
| Lexus NX 300 | Compact | $2,170 | $181 |
| Jaguar E-Pace | Midsize | $2,174 | $181 |
| Mercedes-Benz GLC300 | Compact | $2,184 | $182 |
| Lexus RX 350L | Midsize | $2,214 | $185 |
| Cadillac XT6 | Midsize | $2,236 | $186 |
| Land Rover Defender | Compact | $2,242 | $187 |
See our guide for luxury SUV insurance to view luxury vehicles not shown in the table.
Don’t see your vehicle? Enter your zip code at the bottom of the above table and click the orange ‘GO’ button to get cheap San Francisco car insurance quotes from the best companies in California.
Tips for finding cheaper auto insurance quotes
San Francisco drivers are always looking to reduce their monthly car insurance expenses So glance through the savings tips in the list below and it’s very likely you can save some money on your next policy.
- Remove optional coverage on older vehicles. Deleting comprehensive and collision coverage from vehicles whose value has dropped to the point where coverage is not cost effective can reduce the cost of car insurance substantially.
- Shop your coverage around. Taking a few minutes to get a few free car insurance quotes could save you a significant amount. Rates change frequently and you can change companies at any time.
- Stay claim free. Car insurance companies give a discounted rate for not having any claims. Car insurance is intended to be used to protect you from significant financial loss, not for insignificant claims.
- Choose a vehicle that is cheaper to insure. The vehicle you choose to drive is a huge factor in the price you pay for insurance. As an example, a Honda CR-V costs $2,598 less per year to insure in San Francisco than a Audi R8. Choose cheaper models and save money.
- Improve your credit for cheaper auto insurance rates. Having a high credit score of 800+ could save $330 per year over a credit rating of 670-739. Conversely, a not-so-perfect credit rating could cost up to $383 more per year. Not all states use credit score as a rating factor, so check with your agent or company.
