San Fransisco State University (SFSU)

I may be wrong, but food costs about the same in Finland and in the US, I think. San Francisco has almost unlimited number of restaurants from all over the world. It's relatively cheap to dine out, but it's still possible to spend much money on that. USA is a developing country in wireless telecommunications services, so prepare to pay high cellphone bills. Housing is expensive in the Bay Area. Housing in Finland is so ridculously cheap that the difference in living costs between Finland and San Francisco is mainly due to housing. Beer is cheaper in bars here than in Finland, or you just drink less here... :) I travelled a lot in California, so I had high travel costs. Commuting in S.F. is not that expensive though.

Consumer goods are not more expensive than if you'd buy them in the Netherlands. What was expensive was the rent and also mobile telephone costs, as one also pays for incoming phonecalls.

Housing is expensive but cheaper the eat lunch in a restaurant. The cellphone is expensive since you have to pay for incoming calls too. stupidity!!

We can't really compare, because it's pounds and dollars, of course I would spend more in England, but because I was abroad, I spend more money on calls, travelling around ( as a tourist)…

because of the currency, and according to different economical conditions