City profile
Sacramento, CA cost of living
CA · BLS RPP 109.9
Overall RPP
109.9
US = 100
Housing RPP
131.5
Housing component
Goods RPP
108.9
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$2,072/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Sacramento, CA sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#12 of 67
+9.9 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
+11.5
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#12 of 67
+466/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Sacramento, CA
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Sacramento, CA metro.
Moved in
101,843
people · 60,004 households
Moved out
111,144
people · 65,021 households
Net
−9,301
net loss of residents
Net migration rank
#47 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
-9,197
median -104 people
Largest flow share
6% in / 2% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Santa Clara County, CA 6,043
- Alameda County, CA 5,726
- Contra Costa County, CA 4,369
- San Joaquin County, CA 3,627
- Solano County, CA 3,582
Where residents moved to
- Yuba County, CA 2,776
- San Joaquin County, CA 2,542
- Los Angeles County, CA 2,424
- Solano County, CA 2,375
- Alameda County, CA 2,324
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Sacramento, CA?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Sacramento, CA | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $54,950 | $50,000 x (109.9/100) |
| $75,000 | $82,425 | $75,000 x (109.9/100) |
| $100,000 | $109,900 | $100,000 x (109.9/100) |
| $125,000 | $137,375 | $125,000 x (109.9/100) |
| $150,000 | $164,850 | $150,000 x (109.9/100) |
| $200,000 | $219,800 | $200,000 x (109.9/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
California income tax 1%-13.3%. Significantly cheaper than Bay Area.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Sacramento, CA?
- Sacramento, CA has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 109.9 (US average = 100). It is 9.9% more expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Sacramento, CA?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $109,900 in Sacramento, CA to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Sacramento, CA?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Sacramento, CA is approximately $2,072 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Sacramento, CA?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 101,843 people moved into the Sacramento, CA metro and 111,144 moved out — a net loss of roughly 9,301 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Santa Clara County, CA.
Curated nearby & similar cities
Similar verified metros by RPP
These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Sacramento, CA, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
Curated cost-of-living comparisons for Sacramento, CA
Side-by-side cost of living and the equivalent salary you'd need — pick a destination.