Sacramento, CA Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Sacramento, CA Summary

Cost of living in Sacramento research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Sacramento is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in California, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Sacramento is 134, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Sacramento is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Sacramento ranks as the #208 cheapest in California out of 634.

  • Sacramento ranks as the #5,171 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Sacramento is $474,399.

  • The median income in Sacramento is $83,753.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
134
Sacramento's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Sacramento, CA?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Sacramento has an overall cost of living index of 134, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to California, Sacramento has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than California's index of 141.

The standard of living in Sacramento ranks as #208 most affordable out of the 634 places we measured in California. By definition, that implies Sacramento ranks as the #426 most expensive place in the Golden State.

For more reading on life in Sacramento, check out:

208 out of 634
In California
5,171 out of 6,489
In America

Sacramento Cost Of Living Vs. California

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Sacramento. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Sacramento is 107.

  • The Groceries index in Sacramento is 107.

  • The Health index in Sacramento is 115.

  • The Housing index in Sacramento is 180.

  • The Transportation index in Sacramento is 122.

  • The Utilities index in Sacramento is 113.

Living Expense Sacramento California National Average
Overall 134 141 100
Services 107 110 100
Groceries 107 112 100
Health 115 110 100
Housing 180 195 100
Transportation 122 125 100
Utilities 113 128 100
For more reading on cost of living around California, check out:
Sacramento Cost of Living Vs. CA

Sacramento, CA Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in California, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Sacramento is $474,399.

  • The Median Rent in Sacramento is $1,694.

  • The Median Income in Sacramento is $83,753.

  • The Home Value To Income in Sacramento is 5.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Sacramento is 0.24x.

Statistic Sacramento California United States
Median Home Value $474,399 $763,287 $303,400
Median Rent $1,694 $1,956 $1,348
Median Income $83,753 $96,334 $78,538
Home Value To Income 5.7x 7.9x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.24x 0.24x 0.21x
$474,399
Median Home Value
$1,694
Median Rent
$83,753
Median Income

Sacramento, CA Costs By Category

Detailed Sacramento Services Costs Vs. California

Item Sacramento California
Shampoo $1.44 $1.28
Movie $13.76 $12.13
Bowling $22.22 $18
Haircut $40.0 $24.26
Beauty Salon $60.53 $45.56

Detailed Sacramento Groceries Costs Vs. California

Item Sacramento California
Ground Beef $5.56 $5.84
Fried Chicken $2.06 $1.57
Milk $4.93 $4.67
Potatoes $4.69 $4.93
Pizza $13.98 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.67 $3.7

Detailed Sacramento Health Costs Vs. California

Item Sacramento California
Optometrist $153.5 $125.68
Doctor $201.43 $135.78
Dentist $115.72 $113.29

Detailed Sacramento Transportation Costs Vs. California

Item Sacramento California
Gasoline $4.51 $3.46
Tire Balancing $58.67 $59.92

Detailed Sacramento Utilities Costs Vs. California

Item Sacramento California
All Electricity $238.53 $193.99
Phone $190.81 $192.25

Sacramento SnackAbility

7
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
7/10
Housing
9
Affordability
4
Diversity
10
Safety
4
Amenities
10
Education
7
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Sacramento

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Sacramento. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Arden-Arcade, CA has a cost of living index of 134, 1.0x Sacramento.

  • Citrus Heights, CA has a cost of living index of 127, 0.9x Sacramento.

  • Folsom, CA has a cost of living index of 157, 1.2x Sacramento.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Sacramento
Arden-Arcade, CA 96,319 134 1.0x
Citrus Heights, CA 87,036 127 0.9x
Folsom, CA 82,140 157 1.2x
Davis, CA 66,801 172 1.3x
West Sacramento, CA 54,496 132 1.0x
Florin, CA 49,536 122 0.9x
Antelope, CA 49,080 132 1.0x
Vineyard, CA 42,645 136 1.0x
Orangevale, CA 35,219 138 1.0x
Fair Oaks, CA 32,030 150 1.1x

Articles About California

Enjoy The Snack?