Bar Startup Cost Comparison

San Francisco, CA vs New York, NY

San Francisco, CA

$131,000 - $554,000

COL Index: 179.8

VS

New York, NY

$133,000 - $560,000

COL Index: 187.2

Detailed Cost Comparison

Expense San Francisco, CA New York, NY Difference
Business Registration & Liquor License
$4,200 - $18,500 $5,300 - $17,100 +1%
Commercial Lease (First + Last + Security)
$29,300 - $171,200 $31,300 - $182,600 -6%
Bar Equipment & Fixtures
$15,000 - $60,000 $15,000 - $60,000 Same
Initial Liquor & Beverage Inventory
$8,000 - $25,000 $8,000 - $25,000 Same
Interior Build-Out & Renovation
$38,000 - $152,000 $36,300 - $145,000 +5%
Sound System & Security
$5,000 - $25,000 $5,000 - $25,000 Same
Business Insurance (Annual)
$4,000 - $12,000 $4,000 - $12,000 Same
Working Capital (3 Months)
$27,000 - $89,900 $28,100 - $93,600 -4%
Total Estimated Cost $131,000 - $554,000 $133,000 - $560,000 -1%

Local Market Factors

Factor San Francisco New York
Cost of Living Index 179.8 187.2
Commercial Rent ($/sqft/yr) $40 - $110 $40 - $120
Labor Rate Index 1.52 1.45
Sales Tax 8.625% 8.875%
Minimum Wage $18.67/hr $16.00/hr
LLC Filing Fee $70 $200

Ready to Start Your Bar?

Start your Bar LLC in โ€” free registered agent for 1 year.

Form Your LLC for $0 + State Fee โ†’

Trusted by 500,000+ businesses ยท Excellent rating on Trustpilot

Start Your LLC โ€” $0 + State Fee