Cost of Living in Sacramento, CA (2026)

Sacramento's cost of living is 7% above the US average. $100,000 here is worth about $93,747 nationally. Rent, homes and monthly costs.

Sacramento has a cost-of-living index of 107 against a US average of 100 — about 7% above average. $100,000 of income here is worth roughly $93,747 at the national average.

What it costs to live in Sacramento

MeasureSacramentoUS average
Cost-of-living index107100
Median rent$1,694/mo-
Median home value$484,600-
Median household income$83,753-
Population524,802-

Monthly cost breakdown in Sacramento

Estimates use BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey shares scaled by the local cost-of-living index. Housing uses the city’s median rent; the owning column uses a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down on the median home.

CategoryRentingOwning
Housing$1,694$2,814
Transport$1,221$1,221
Food$960$960
Healthcare$603$603
Other$2,144$2,144
Total$6,623$7,743

Affordability in Sacramento

Median rent takes about 24.3% of the median household income in Sacramento — comfortably inside the 30% rule of thumb.

The median home costs 5.8x the median household income. Three times income is the traditional comfort line; five times is where affordability usually breaks down.

Highest-paying roles in Sacramento

RoleTypical salaryWorth nationally
Registered Nurse$157,810$147,942
Marketing Manager$156,930$147,117
Software Developer$142,240$133,346
Physical Therapist$131,760$123,521
Mechanical Engineer$118,050$110,668
Police Officer$112,230$105,212
Teacher$104,080$97,572
Financial Analyst$97,800$91,685

“Worth nationally” adjusts each salary for Sacramento’s cost of living, so you can compare offers between cities on equal terms.

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Frequently asked questions

Sacramento has a cost-of-living index of 107 against a US average of 100, so it is about 7% above the national average. In practical terms, $100,000 of income in Sacramento has roughly the purchasing power of $93,747 at the national average.

A common benchmark is keeping rent at or under 30% of gross income. At Sacramento's median rent of $1,694/month that implies about $67,760 a year before tax. The median household in Sacramento earns $83,753.

Renting, a single household spends roughly $6,623 a month in Sacramento across housing, transport, food, healthcare and everything else. Buying at the median home price, the estimate is about $7,743 a month including a 30-year mortgage at 6.7% with 10% down.

The median home in Sacramento costs $484,600, which is 5.8x the median household income of $83,753. Lenders traditionally treat 3x as comfortable and about 5x as stretched, so Sacramento is expensive relative to local incomes.