Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco, CA and Sacramento, CA 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in Sacramento, CA is 16.5% lower than in San Francisco, CA (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in Sacramento, CA is 25.0% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Rent Prices in Sacramento, CA are 37.9% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Restaurant Prices in Sacramento, CA are 30.2% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Groceries Prices in Sacramento, CA are 13.7% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
| Local Purchasing Power in Sacramento, CA is 16.1% lower than in San Francisco, CA | |
Restaurants | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 30.00 $ | 20.00 $ | -33.3 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 140.00 $ | 80.00 $ | -42.9 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 15.00 $ | 11.00 $ | -26.7 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 8.00 $ | 8.00 $ | 0.0 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 9.00 $ | 8.00 $ | -11.1 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 5.85 $ | 5.73 $ | -2.0 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.21 $ | 2.52 $ | -21.4 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 2.67 $ | 2.08 $ | -22.0 % |
Markets | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 1.54 $ | 1.18 $ | -23.1 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 4.69 $ | 3.94 $ | -15.9 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 2.77 $ | 2.32 $ | -16.3 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 6.18 $ | 5.37 $ | -13.1 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 10.39 $ | 7.18 $ | -30.9 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 5.93 $ | 7.63 $ | +28.7 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 10.96 $ | 8.77 $ | -19.9 % |
| Apples (1 lb) | 3.24 $ | 2.38 $ | -26.3 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 1.34 $ | 0.97 $ | -28.2 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 2.53 $ | 2.02 $ | -20.0 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 3.43 $ | 2.90 $ | -15.5 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 1.62 $ | 1.86 $ | +15.3 % |
| Onions (1 lb) | 1.90 $ | 1.82 $ | -4.1 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 2.94 $ | 2.64 $ | -10.4 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 2.86 $ | 2.80 $ | -2.1 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 18.00 $ | 16.00 $ | -11.1 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 3.15 $ | 2.64 $ | -16.2 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.56 $ | 3.40 $ | -4.6 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 14.00 $ | 12.25 $ | -12.5 % |
Transportation | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 $ | 2.50 $ | -16.7 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 90.00 $ | 100.00 $ | +11.1 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 4.15 $ | 4.00 $ | -3.6 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 3.25 $ | 3.00 $ | -7.7 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 39.00 $ | 27.69 $ | -29.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 1.28 $ | 1.25 $ | -2.3 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 36,753.89 $ | 36,753.89 $ | 0.0 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 25,949.06 $ | 29,294.52 $ | +12.9 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 235.99 $ | 377.44 $ | +59.9 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 65.09 $ | 62.00 $ | -4.7 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 68.28 $ | 74.00 $ | +8.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 114.18 $ | 48.45 $ | -57.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 12.67 $ | 30.00 $ | +136.8 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 17.00 $ | 15.00 $ | -11.8 % |
Childcare | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 3,286.11 $ | 1,450.83 $ | -55.8 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 42,000.00 $ | 27,750.00 $ | -33.9 % |
Clothing And Shoes | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 70.00 $ | 59.09 $ | -15.6 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 47.20 $ | 54.83 $ | +16.2 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 99.74 $ | 94.54 $ | -5.2 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 125.38 $ | 128.12 $ | +2.2 % |
Rent Per Month | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 3,324.69 $ | 2,000.00 $ | -39.8 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 2,720.48 $ | 1,615.38 $ | -40.6 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 5,569.57 $ | 3,537.50 $ | -36.5 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 4,462.50 $ | 2,826.92 $ | -36.7 % |
Buy Apartment Price | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 995.63 $ | 465.67 $ | -53.2 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 885.08 $ | 379.01 $ | -57.2 % |
Salaries And Financing | San Francisco, CA Edit |
Sacramento, CA Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 6,961.85 $ | 4,376.07 $ | -37.1 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 6.39 | 6.53 | +2.3 % |
| Last update: | 4 November 2025 | 25 October 2025 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 192 | 79 |
Moving to San Francisco, CA? Explore:
Moving to Sacramento, CA? Explore:
Cities near San Francisco, CA: | Cost of Living in Oakland, California | 10.67 miles |
| Cost of Living in Piedmont, California | 12.31 miles |
| Cost of Living in Berkeley, California | 13.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in Alameda, California | 15.02 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Rafael, California | 18.32 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Mateo, California | 21.47 miles |
| Cost of Living in Belmont, California | 24.19 miles |
| Cost of Living in Walnut Creek, California | 24.48 miles |
| Cost of Living in Redwood City, California | 26.16 miles |
| Cost of Living in Hayward, California | 26.70 miles |
Cities near Sacramento, CA: | Cost of Living in Arden-Arcade, California | 11.37 miles |
| Cost of Living in El Dorado Hills, California | 34.22 miles |
| Cost of Living in Stockton, California | 49.83 miles |
| Cost of Living in Modesto, California | 75.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Oakland, California | 80.56 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Francisco, California | 86.34 miles |
| Cost of Living in Chico, California | 86.82 miles |
| Cost of Living in Santa Rosa, California | 90.41 miles |
| Cost of Living in Fremont, California | 104.72 miles |
| Cost of Living in San Jose, California | 115.99 miles |