Cost of Living in Sacramento, CA
Sacramento, CA scores 115 on the cost-of-living index — about 15% more expensive than the US average of 100, and #18 of 77 US cities we track.
Compare your salary: Sacramento vs any US city
Enter where you live now and what you earn — see the equivalent salary needed in Sacramento to keep the same standard of living.
To live the way $100,000 affords in Sacramento, CA, you would need about $162,609 in New York City, NY — roughly 62.6% more.
| Category | Sacramento | New York City | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overall index | 115 | 187 | +63% |
| Housing | 132 | 287 | +117% |
| Groceries | 106 | 137 | +29% |
| Utilities | 108 | 130 | +20% |
| Transportation | 108 | 120 | +11% |
| Healthcare | 105 | 128 | +22% |
Sacramento cost-of-living breakdown
| Category | Index | vs US avg |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | 115 | +15% |
| Housing | 132 | +32% |
| Groceries | 106 | +6% |
| Utilities | 108 | +8% |
| Transportation | 108 | +8% |
| Healthcare | 105 | +5% |
Note These are approximate comparative estimates on a US-average = 100 scale (the C2ER/ACCRA and BestPlaces convention). Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. Actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle — treat the numbers as directional.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sacramento expensive to live in?
Sacramento, CA has a cost-of-living index of 115, where the US average is 100. That makes it about 15% more expensive than a typical US city, and ranks it #18 of 77 cities in our index. Housing is the biggest single factor, with a housing index of 132.
What is the cost-of-living index for Sacramento?
The overall index is 115 (US average = 100). By category: housing 132, groceries 106, utilities 108, transportation 108 and healthcare 105. A value above 100 means costlier than average; below 100 means cheaper.
How much salary do I need to live in Sacramento?
It depends on where you're moving from. Use the calculator above: enter your current city and salary, and it scales your pay by the ratio of the two cities' indices to show the equivalent salary needed in Sacramento to keep the same standard of living.
How is the Sacramento cost-of-living index calculated?
It is a comparative estimate on the same US-average = 100 scale used by the C2ER/ACCRA Cost of Living Index and BestPlaces, spanning housing, groceries, utilities, transportation and healthcare. Category sub-indices are modeled from the overall composite. These are approximate estimates — actual costs vary by neighborhood, household and lifestyle.
Which is the cheapest category in Sacramento?
In Sacramento, healthcare is the most affordable category relative to the US average (index 105), while housing is the priciest (index 132).