Bangalore ($1/sqft, 14.2% vacancy) and San Francisco ($78/sqft, 31.5% vacancy) compete on different axes: Bangalore on rent and tax and San Francisco on talent depth.
Bangalore ($1/sqft, 14.2% vacancy) and San Francisco ($78/sqft, 31.5% vacancy) compete on different axes: Bangalore on rent and tax and San Francisco on talent depth.
| Metric | Bangalore | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Region | APAC | Americas |
| Country | India | United States |
| Class A rent (USD/sqft/yr) | $1 | $78 |
| Class A rent (local) | 110 INR | 78 USD |
| Vacancy | 14.2% | 31.5% |
| Trend | rising | rising |
| Prime yield | 8.5% | 6.5% |
| Premium flex / seat / month (USD) | $280 | $1,280 |
| Submarkets covered | 5 | 6 |
| Corporate tax | 25.17% | 27% |
| Metric | Bangalore | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Typical term | 9 yrs | 7 yrs |
| Typical rent-free | 6 mos | 22 mos |
| Lease norms | Net leases (tenant pays opex, taxes separately). 9-year terms with 3-year lock-ins standard. Free rent of 4-9 months and TI of INR 1,500-3,000/sqft typical on a 9-year Class A deal. | Modified-gross with operating-expense escalations over a base year. Rent-free of 18-30 months on a 10-year term is current market for trophy assets in lease-up. TI of $150-$220/sqft is achievable. Termination options at year 5 are increasingly negotiable. |
| Tax note | 22% base corporate income tax plus surcharges and cess for an effective rate of 25.17%. New manufacturing companies eligible for 15% concessional rate. SEZ benefits available in selected GCC parks. | Combined federal + California corporate tax effectively reaches 27%. San Francisco gross receipts tax applies to most occupiers; payroll tax is now phased out. |
| Metric | Bangalore | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Talent index (0–100) | 82 | 98 |
| Talent note | Deepest tech and engineering talent pool in India — anchored by IISc, IIM Bangalore, IIIT-B, and a deep network of engineering colleges. English-fluent professional base supports global delivery operations. | Deepest AI/ML and senior software engineering talent pool globally. Average all-in compensation indexes 98 vs. New York's 100. |
Bangalore: BMRCL Namma Metro (Purple, Green, Yellow Lines), BMTC bus. Whitefield is now Metro-served (2023). Bengaluru Suburban Rail under construction. Heavy congestion on Outer Ring Road remains a tenant concern.
San Francisco: BART, Muni, Caltrain, and the new Salesforce Transit Center anchor commute infrastructure. The Central Subway extension to Chinatown completed in 2023.
Bangalore is the cheaper Class A market on a USD basis.
San Francisco has the deeper talent index (98/100 vs 82/100).
Bangalore has the lower headline corporate tax (25.17% vs 27%). Local incentives can change the effective rate materially.
Bangalore typical term is 9 years with 6 months free; San Francisco runs 7 years with 22 months free.
Bangalore: BMRCL Namma Metro (Purple, Green, Yellow Lines), BMTC bus. Whitefield is now Metro-served (2023). Bengaluru Suburban Rail under construction. Heavy congestion on Outer Ring Road remains a tenant concern. San Francisco: BART, Muni, Caltrain, and the new Salesforce Transit Center anchor commute infrastructure. The Central Subway extension to Chinatown completed in 2023.
Score Bangalore, San Francisco and up to two more markets side-by-side on Class A rent, vacancy, talent, corporate tax, and premium flex pricing — all in USD.
Reviewed by Kenji Watanabe — APAC contributing editor. Last updated 2026-04-15. See our methodology and editorial standards.