City comparison
Pittsburg, CA is about 30 miles (50 km) from San Rafael, CA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 40 miles, or about 42 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Pittsburg, CA to San Rafael, CA takes about 4 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Pittsburg has a population of 76,419, vs 60,891 in San Rafael — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Pittsburg covers about 18 sq mi vs 17 sq mi for San Rafael.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Pittsburg | San Rafael | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $2,134/mo | $2,257/mo | 5.8% higher in San Rafael |
| Median home value | $555,200 | $1,212,000 | 118.3% higher in San Rafael |
| Median household income | $98,408 | $113,839 | 15.7% higher in San Rafael |
| Groceries index | 107.4 | 107.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 164.6 | 164.6 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 104.8 | 104.8 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 104.8 | 104.8 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Pittsburg, you'd need $100,252 in San Rafael to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Pittsburg and San Rafael have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Pittsburg, you'd need about $80,201 in San Rafael to keep the same standard of living.