Stanford University is located in the heart of Silicon Valley, part of the larger San Francisco Bay Area, which is an expensive region. Many postdocs choose to live in cities near Stanford and along the Caltrain corridor. Postdocs who are considering offers of appointment at Stanford are encouraged to consider the cost of living in this area in light of their lifestyle, needs, and where applicable, financial obligations towards spouses or family.
The minimum funding levels for postdoctoral scholars at Stanford are perhaps the highest in the country for trainees, and they are designed to support a stipend-level income for a single trainee. There is no University-set upper limit on the funding level that a postdoc may receive.
The following information is provided for informational purposes only; all postdocs should consider their one-time costs and ongoing needs, such as the cost of relocation, rent, transportation, childcare, if spouse is eligible to work, etc., when evaluating their offers.
Cost of Living Calculators for Silicon Valley (San Jose) and San Francisco:
- Cost of Living Calculator for Moves Between Cities in the United States
- International Cost of Living Comparison Tool
- Economic Policy Institute's "Family Budget" Calculator
Please Note: These calculators are not maintained or endorsed by Stanford University and may not factor in the cost of the items listed below. There are other similar calculators available on the Internet.
Taxes: Cost of living calculators often do not include information on US taxes.
Rent: Please check the Stanford Student Housing Office for information about local listings and for information about applying to campus housing (availability to postdocs is very limited depending on the time of year and on-campus rental rates are not always less expensive than off campus). The cost of rent varies greatly by city, and many postdocs who are single share a two or three bedroom house with other postdocs or young professionals.
Medical Insurance Premiums: Please check the Postdoc Benefits website for the current premium rates.
Childcare: information for on- and off-campus options is available through Stanford's WorkLife Office.
