Foster City, CA · Updated Oct 2026

What a Foster City home costs each year

Property tax, water, trash and energy from public rates. Look up your address to make it yours, and see how to pay less.

Suggestions as you type come from Google; the lookup uses free public map services to find who serves it. Not stored unless you save your house.

Example · a Foster City house

$29,126a year · $2,427 a month

Starts at the typical market value, $1,838,200; your assessed value is often lower. Typical use.

Property tax$20,978
1.146% of $1,838,200, less $7,000 homeowners' exemption
Flat charges on the tax bill$524
San Mateo-Foster City SD parcel tax (Measure B) $144 · San Mateo-Foster City SD parcel tax (Measure V) $369 · SF Bay Restoration Authority parcel tax (Measure AA) $12
Electricity and gas$2,866
374 kWh a month $1,877 · 31.72 therms $989
Water and sewer$2,754
8 units (CCF) a month on Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID): water $93, sewer $136 a month
Trash$512
32-gal trash, $43 a month
Home insurance$1,492
Typical premium $1,492

Shopping for home insurance?

Insurers charge very different prices for the same house and coverage. California's free premium survey lists each insurer's price.

Compare insurers' prices

A Foster City house at the typical market value ($1,838,200) costs about $29,100 a year: $21,500 property tax and charges, $2,750 water and sewer, $510 trash, $2,870 electricity and gas, $1,490 home insurance. Estimated from public rates, not anyone's actual bill.

Rates checked Oct 28, 2026. Insurance: what you enter, or a typical premium until you do. Sources are listed at the bottom.

Ways to pay less

Nothing here applies to every house automatically. These are worth checking:

Switch to the 20-gal trash cartUp to $124 a year
Your cart costs $43 a month; the smallest costs $32. Worth it if you rarely fill it.
How: To report collection issues or ask about service, call Recology San Mateo County at 650-595-3900.
Income-qualified households: PG&E CARE on gas20% off gas
CARE gives income-qualified customers a 20% discount on their natural gas bill.
How: Contact PG&E for an application.
100% disabled veterans: property tax exemptionUp to $180,671 off assessed value (2026)
Veterans with 100% disability, or partially disabled and unemployable, or their unmarried surviving spouses, can get a basic exemption of up to $180,671 for lien date 2026.
How: See the San Mateo County Assessor's Disabled Veterans' Exemption page.
Seniors 65+ in San Mateo or Foster City: school parcel tax exemptionUp to $512 a year
Owners 65 or older whose main residence is in San Mateo or Foster City can apply for an exemption from the San Mateo-Foster City School District parcel taxes; the district lists the exemption amounts for Measures B and V as $143.67 and $368.52 for 2027-28 (owners 65 or older on July 1, 2027; applications due June 11, 2027).
How: Email smfcexemptions@financedta.com or call 1-800-969-4382.

Adjust to match your bills

What you knowTrash cartRates are per month for a single-family cart and include weekly collection of garbage, recycling and organics and two on-call bulky pickups a year.

Value before exemptionsEnter the assessed value from your tax bill: under Prop 13 it is often far below market value, and the starting figure here is a market value. Foster City has several tax rate areas; most list a composite rate of 1.1456%, while a few (such as 020-001 and 020-002) differ. The school parcel tax amounts are the district's 2027-28 figures; it lists no 2026-27 amounts, and Measure V may be lower this year.

I live here and have the Homeowners' exemptionSomeone on the title is 65 or older

Home insurance, a yearFrom your policy. We start at $1,492, California statewide average, NAIC data for 2022 as published by the Insurance Information Institute (California figures from the California Department of Insurance).

Earthquake insurance, a yearSeparate from home insurance. Most owners don't have it.

Your use

Water, units a month

On your water bill. 1 unit (CCF) is 748 gallons. A typical Foster City house uses about 8.

Electricity, kWh a month

On your PG&E delivery with WestLight Energy generation bill. An electric car adds about 300 kWh.

Gas, therms a month (yearly average)

Money dates

Nov 30in 26 daysLast day to file an appeal of an annual assessment with the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors (the filing period is July 2 to November 30).
Dec 10in 36 daysLast day to pay the first installment of secured property taxes.
Feb 15in 103 daysDeadline for first-time homeowners' exemption claims to get the full exemption for the year.
Apr 10Last day to pay the second installment of secured property taxes.

Who serves this house

Water: Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID); FY 2027 rates: a monthly meter charge of $33.80 for a 3/4" meter, and for single-family residences $7.02 per ccf for the first 20 ccf per two months and $7.79 over 20 ccf, plus a $0.42 per ccf pass-through for FY 2027.
Property tax: 1.15% of value; 2025-26 tax rates, San Mateo County (Foster City tax rate area 020-004); school parcel taxes are the 2027-28 amounts, the only year the district lists
Garbage: Recology San Mateo County; Recology San Mateo County provides weekly recycling, composting, and garbage collection services for residents in single-family homes.
Water & sewer: Estero Municipal Improvement District (City of Foster City); EMID purchases all of its water from the San Francisco Regional Water System (SFRWS).
Electricity: PG&E delivery with WestLight Energy generation; WestLight Energy is the community electricity provider for San Mateo County.
Gas: PG&E; PG&E's gas service territory map lists Foster City 94404.

Pay or manage your bills

Other CA cities

Cupertino home costs Sunnyvale home costs Mountain View home costs Alameda home costs Anaheim home costs Apple Valley home costs Carlsbad home costs Cathedral City home costs Fairfield home costs Fountain Valley home costs Fresno home costs Garden Grove home costs Huntington Beach home costs Irvine home costs Mission Viejo home costs Moreno Valley home costs Newport Beach home costs Norwalk home costs Palmdale home costs Rancho Cucamonga home costs San Diego home costs Santa Monica home costs Simi Valley home costs Vacaville home costs Vista home costs West Hollywood home costs Westminster home costs Yorba Linda home costs Manhattan Beach home costs Corona home costs Fontana home costs Oceanside home costs Montebello home costs La Quinta home costs Tracy home costs El Cerrito home costs Hemet home costs Downey home costs San Marcos home costs Jurupa Valley home costs West Covina home costs San Clemente home costs Pittsburg home costs Hesperia home costs Petaluma home costs Oakland home costs Fremont home costs El Monte home costs Camarillo home costs Santa Clara home costs Arcadia home costs Hawthorne home costs Beaumont home costs Rohnert Park home costs Rialto home costs Coachella home costs Ventura home costs Menifee home costs South Gate home costs Danville home costs Orange home costs Huntington Park home costs Redding home costs Daly City home costs Colton home costs Murrieta home costs Chino Hills home costs Walnut home costs Monrovia home costs Burbank home costs Rosemead home costs Atwater home costs Larkspur home costs San Gabriel home costs Pleasant Hill home costs Indio home costs Ontario home costs Inglewood home costs San Francisco home costs Eastvale home costs Costa Mesa home costs Hercules home costs Palm Desert home costs Perris home costs Manteca home costs Paso Robles home costs Novato home costs San Luis Obispo home costs Clayton home costs Berkeley home costs Oxnard home costs Moraga home costs Livermore home costs Lawndale home costs Diamond Bar home costs San Leandro home costs La Mesa home costs Thousand Oaks home costs Pleasanton home costs Suisun City home costs Chino home costs Bellflower home costs Tustin home costs Santa Barbara home costs Pacific Grove home costs San Juan Capistrano home costs Adelanto home costs Hollister home costs Malibu home costs Alhambra home costs Santa Clarita home costs Morgan Hill home costs Seaside home costs Placentia home costs Fullerton home costs La Habra home costs Union City home costs Bell Gardens home costs Carson home costs South Pasadena home costs Windsor home costs Placerville home costs Highland home costs Clovis home costs Redlands home costs Ridgecrest home costs Los Alamitos home costs Lathrop home costs El Centro home costs Azusa home costs Santee home costs Palo Alto home costs La Verne home costs Woodland home costs Twentynine Palms home costs San Anselmo home costs Buena Park home costs Dublin home costs Antioch home costs Saratoga home costs Merced home costs Moorpark home costs Roseville home costs Ripon home costs Lake Forest home costs Escondido home costs San José home costs Concord home costs San Mateo home costs Laguna Beach home costs Encinitas home costs Stockton home costs Chico home costs Burlingame home costs Bakersfield home costs San Pablo home costs Los Gatos home costs Rancho Santa Margarita home costs Glendora home costs Campbell home costs Newark home costs Atascadero home costs Cudahy home costs Yucaipa home costs Seal Beach home costs Grover Beach home costs Corte Madera home costs Grass Valley home costs Grand Terrace home costs West Sacramento home costs Eureka home costs Half Moon Bay home costs Hayward home costs San Marino home costs La Palma home costs Benicia home costs Folsom home costs South El Monte home costs Shasta Lake home costs Orinda home costs Modesto home costs Claremont home costs Tulare home costs Salinas home costs Laguna Woods home costs Menlo Park home costs Marina home costs Anderson home costs Arroyo Grande home costs Canyon Lake home costs Compton home costs Brentwood home costs Palm Springs home costs East Palo Alto home costs Poway home costs Pinole home costs Rancho Palos Verdes home costs Visalia home costs Shafter home costs El Cajon home costs San Ramon home costs Port Hueneme home costs Hermosa Beach home costs Clearlake home costs Chula Vista home costs San Jacinto home costs National City home costs San Rafael home costs Yucca Valley home costs Selma home costs Santa Ana home costs Riverside home costs San Bernardino home costs Santa Rosa home costs Elk Grove home costs Rocklin home costs Pomona home costs Los Angeles home costs Victorville home costs Richmond home costs Santa Maria home costs Rancho Cordova home costs Redwood City home costs Milpitas home costs Lake Elsinore home costs Davis home costs South San Francisco home costs Porterville home costs Santa Cruz home costs Hanford home costs Monterey Park home costs Lincoln home costs Vallejo home costs Citrus Heights home costs Napa home costs Lodi home costs Gilroy home costs Lynwood home costs Turlock home costs Watsonville home costs Cypress home costs Los Banos home costs Aliso Viejo home costs Brea home costs Lompoc home costs Stanton home costs Calexico home costs Wildomar home costs Montclair home costs Goleta home costs Los Altos home costs Lemon Grove home costs Wasco home costs Soledad home costs Riverbank home costs Reedley home costs Patterson home costs Desert Hot Springs home costs Banning home costs Galt home costs Millbrae home costs Greenfield home costs Dixon home costs Coronado home costs Blythe home costs Red Bluff home costs Avenal home costs California City home costs Kingsburg home costs Carpinteria home costs Solana Beach home costs Healdsburg home costs Sonoma home costs Farmersville home costs Rio Vista home costs Exeter home costs South Lake Tahoe home costs Ukiah home costs Livingston home costs Newman home costs Commerce home costs Scotts Valley home costs Corcoran home costs Oroville home costs Albany home costs Chowchilla home costs Emeryville home costs

How these numbers are made

Property tax: the county's FY 2025-26 composite rate for Foster City tax rate area 020-004, 1.1456% (1% general tax, Foster City GO bond 0.0285%, San Mateo-Foster City School District bonds 0.0571%, San Mateo Union High bonds 0.0420%, college bonds 0.0180%), less the $7,000 homeowners' exemption. Other Foster City tax rate areas list their own composite rates. Flat charges: school parcel taxes Measures B ($143.67) and V ($368.52) as the district lists them for 2027-28 (its page shows no 2026-27 amounts, so the flat charges may be somewhat overstated for this year), and Measure AA ($12).
The starting value is the Census ACS 2020-2024 median value of owner-occupied homes in Foster City ($1,838,200); an owner who bought years ago has a lower assessed value under Prop 13.
Water: Estero Municipal Improvement District FY 2027 rates (from July 1, 2026): meter charge $33.80 a month for a 3/4-inch meter; single-family tiers $7.02 per ccf for the first 20 ccf per two months (10 ccf a month) and $7.79 over that, each plus the $0.42 per ccf FY 2027 pass-through; the default is 8 ccf a month, the use the district's rate study calls common. Wastewater: the flat $136.16 a month single-family rate.
Garbage: the city's single-family rates effective 1/1/2026. The city's rates page does not say who sends the bill, so the page does not state one.
Electricity and gas use PG&E E-1 and G-1 rates with WestLight Energy generation, as for neighboring San Mateo County cities; insurance is the 2022 California average premium. The 2022 insurance average is the newest state figure found and is likely lower than today's premiums.
Nothing here is legal, tax or insurance advice.

Sources

How Foster City compares

A typical Foster City house against the 285 California cities we cover, using the same default numbers as the total above.

Per year	Foster City	Median	Where it falls
Property tax rate	1.15%	1.13%	higher than 174 of the other 284 California cities we cover
Water	$1,120	$927	higher than 208 of the other 284 California cities we cover
Sewer and utility-bill fees	$1,634	$596	higher than 193 of the other 196 California cities we cover
Trash	$512	$452	higher than 175 of the other 267 California cities we cover
Electricity and gas	$2,866	$3,421	lower than 233 of the other 284 California cities we cover
Home insurance	$1,492	$1,492	lower than 1 of the other 272 California cities we cover
Total	$29,126	$14,432	higher than 270 of the other 284 California cities we cover

Cities bill differently (some put trash on the tax bill, some cover more services), so a higher number isn't necessarily worse. The property tax rate is compared instead of dollars because house values differ.

Questions to ask your candidates

Each one starts from a number above. Any candidate can answer them.

1. Sewer and utility-bill fees

The fact: Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here come to about $1,634 a year, higher than 193 of the other 196 California cities we cover. Some cities bill sewer on the property tax bill instead, which is not counted here.

Ask: "Sewer and flat utility-bill charges here cost about $1,634 a year, higher than 193 of the other 196 California cities we cover. What drives that cost, and would you change anything?"

2. Electricity and gas

The fact: Electricity and gas for a typical house here cost about $2,866 a year, lower than 233 of the other 284 California cities we cover. Rates are set mostly by the utility and the state.

Ask: "Electricity and gas here cost about $2,866 a year for a typical house, lower than 233 of the other 284 California cities we cover. Which parts of that can the city influence, and what would you do about them?"

See who is running in your city →

Common questions about Foster City house costs

What is the property tax rate in Foster City?

About 1.15% of the value before exemptions a year (2025-26 tax rates, San Mateo County (Foster City tax rate area 020-004); school parcel taxes are the 2027-28 amounts, the only year the district lists), plus flat charges on the same bill (San Mateo-Foster City SD parcel tax (Measure B) $144, San Mateo-Foster City SD parcel tax (Measure V) $369, SF Bay Restoration Authority parcel tax (Measure AA) $12).

How much is property tax on a $500,000 house in Foster City?

About $6,172 a year on $500,000 of the value before exemptions with the homeowners' exemption, including $524 of flat charges.

How much is the water bill in Foster City?

About $229 a month for water and sewer at typical use (8 units, or 5,984 gallons a month) on Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID).

How much does trash pickup cost in Foster City?

$32 to $98 a month, depending on the trash cart size (20-gal trash, 32-gal trash, 64-gal trash, 96-gal trash).

Can seniors lower their property tax or bills in Foster City?

Yes. Seniors 65+ in San Mateo or Foster City: school parcel tax exemption (up to $512 a year): Owners 65 or older whose main residence is in San Mateo or Foster City can apply for an exemption from the San Mateo-Foster City School District parcel taxes; the district lists the exemption amounts for Measures B and V as $143.67 and $368.52 for 2027-28 (owners 65 or older on July 1, 2027; applications due June 11, 2027).

Where can I get help paying utility bills in Foster City?

Income-qualified households: PG&E CARE on gas: CARE gives income-qualified customers a 20% discount on their natural gas bill. Contact PG&E for an application.

How much does a house in Foster City cost to run each year?

All California cities All cities