Mapped: 10 Non-Shady Spots for Massages Under $100

Photo: Frankie Franekey/Kabuki Springs and Spa

Not that you need another reminder, but it's really fucking expensive to live in San Francisco. It's almost enough to make you contemplate a return to your hometown in flyover territory.

Before you give up hope on the Bay Area, rest assured there are a few good deals in the city. And we're not talking about relativity. (A studio apartment for $3,000 a month? That's below the median! Score! Ish?) I mean there are some legitimately cheap deals that would seem like normal prices to pay for a services in any ZIP code. 

To get you started, here are ten spots in San Francisco where you can get a massage for less than $100. (Spoiler alert: the best deal is a one-hour massage for $35.) As always, I've got these gems collected in a handy map, so scroll all the way down for the full geographic picture. And if you've got the inside scoop on a place that's not on this list, email me. I'm always on the lookout for more deals.

• Golia Beauty Center, 737 A Grant Avenue, Suite A. This no-frills spot in Chinatown probably isn't the spot you're going to Instagram and hashtag #blessed, but you can get a decent one-hour massage here for only $48. (Add $2 if you want to pay by credit card.) Golia is open from 10am–10pm, so you have plenty of time to squeeze in a massage after work.
• Margaret Belton Massage, 2333 Market Street. Whatever your body work issue may be, Margaret will have an answer. As a former athlete, she's a sports therapy massage whiz. She specializes in pre/post natal massage, and she also offers an out-of-this-world hot stone massage. A 60-minute massage is only $85.
• Healthy Living Spa, 369 3rd Avenue. Did someone say 60-minute foot massage for $30? Head to this reliable Richmond spot for a super-affordable reflexology treatment, or pony up an extra $30 for the $60 one-hour hot stone massage.
• San Francisco School of Massage & Bodywork, 2973 16th Street, Suite 100. The Massage Lab is hands-down the best deal in the city if you're willing to spend an hour with a not-quite-professional massage therapist. Sessions are $35 and student therapists cannot accept tips. Keep in mind that the Lab does not offer pre-natal massage and may not be able to accommodate special technique or therapist requests. Check out the policies on The Massage Lab's website before you book.
• The Mindful Body, 2876 California Street. This community-based yoga studio also offers damn good massages. No matter what form of massage you want, 30 minute treatments are $55 and 60-minute treatments are $95. If you're a massage regular, get the monthly membership for $80 per month. You'll accrue one massage each month, and it can roll over to the following month if you forget about it. (Massage credits expire after three months.)
• World School of Massage and Holistic Healing Arts, 401 32nd Avenue. World School of Massage has student clinics in both the Richmond and in Pleasanton where students provide one-hour massage therapy sessions for $40. (You can score further discounts, as low as $30 per session, if you opt for a massage package.) Hours at the clinic are limited, but the school offers online booking.
• Archimedes Banya, 748 Innes Avenue. When you can't afford a day of pampering at the Nob Hill Spa, retreat to Archimedes Banya. A banya day pass, which gives you access to pools, saunas, and steam—is only $42. Add a 30-minute massage for $55, and you've got one helluva relaxing day for less than a Benjamin.
• Kabuki Springs and Spa, 1750 Geary Boulevard. Japantown's Kabuki offers a 25-minute massage—either Eastern or Western style—with access to the communal baths for only $70. Remember that the communal bath schedule is women-only on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays; men-only on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; and co-ed (bathing suits required) on Tuesdays.
• Toe-asis Spa, 1722 Divisadero Street. If you can get past the groan-worthy pun name, Toe-asis does really good foot massages. Try the 70-minute foot and back massage combo for $38, then treat yourself to a $12 mini-pedi. It's just a file and polish change, but it's a nice add-on while keeping your service total to only $50.
• La Biang Thai Massage, 1301 Polk Street. At La Biang, you can get a 60-minute traditional Thai massage for only $70, and all of the hour-long treatments ring in under $100. They won't honor requests for specific therapists, but they do offer online booking—which is a luxury in the affordable massage realm.