Welcome to Curbed Comparisons, a regular column exploring what you can rent for a set dollar amount in different neighborhoods. Is one person's studio another person's townhouse? Let's find out.Today's price: $2,300.
↑ We have to hand it to Lombard Place at 1320 Lombard on Russian Hill—its entryway arches add a whole lot of curb appeal, a small touch that turns an otherwise normal structure into a frothy white wedding cake on the block. Honestly, the two-bed, two-bath apartment inside asking $4,795/month can't quite compete, although it's no slouch in its own right, with dark wood floors and standard bay windows. No dogs allowed, but cats can purr away.
↑ By comparison, this single-bed flat in the Castro looks a bit more nondescript from the street (not that there's anything wrong with its slate-blue facade). They saved the best material for inside on this place, including stone floors, stained-glass doors, dark wood wainscoting, and the old clawfoot tub. The building dates to 1915, and the apartment rents for $4,700. In another reversal from the Russian Hill home, cats must scat here, but small dogs make themselves at home.
↑ The trapezoid ceilings throughout this two bed, one bath house in Bernal Heights are a rather nice touch, and we're glad they survived the advertised renovation. Happy also to see things like the brick wall in the bedroom, which is apparently decorative rather than fully load-bearing. The house sits just south of Cortland Avenue, and the going price for its 1,200 foot interior is the full $4,800/month. Cat fanciers can once again rejoice, but dog lovers must fetch something else.
↑ If what you're really looking for is to maximize your space, here's a condo out in the Richmond (right on Geary, in fact, at 33rd Avenue) that packs three beds and three baths into 1,650 feet, with room to spare for an enormous open living area showing off a whole lot of polish on the wood floors in these photos. The building is actually quite new, built only in 2004, and the condo is yours for $4,800/month. No pets allowed; evidently that's the one thing for which there's no room.
↑ For our final offering, we turn to the Bayview, where a lemony colored three bed, two bath house from 1921 rents for that very particular sum of $4,795/month. The house sits right near Third and Shafter, and although the ad boasts cathedral ceilings you can only scarcely make out what might be the corner of one in a single photo. Nevertheless, most people are happy if the roof just stays on. Dogs and cats are both allowed, which for those keeping score at home leaves cats with a one house advantage for the day.