Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CA and Sacramento, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Fairfield, CA and Sacramento, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,962 in Fairfield, CA versus $3,256 in Sacramento, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,555 in Fairfield, CA versus $4,841 in Sacramento, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,149 in Fairfield, CA versus $6,426 in Sacramento, CA.

Living in Fairfield, CA is roughly 22% more expensive than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Fairfield, CA 196% above, Sacramento, CA 143% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.15 $22.15

$19.82 $19.82

11.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.5 $81.5

$78.4 $78.4

3.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.81 $11.81

$10.52 $10.52

12.26%

Cappuccino

$4.82 $4.82

$5.63 $5.63

-14.39%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.90 $2.90

$2.58 $2.58

12.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.08 $2.08

-4.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.33 $7.33

$7.85 $7.85

-6.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.89 $6.89

$7.94 $7.94

-13.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.17 $1.17

0.85%

White Bread (500g)

$4.00 $4.00

$4.19 $4.19

-4.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.40 $5.40

-17.04%

Eggs

$5.31 $5.31

$4.65 $4.65

14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.33 $13.33

$15.66 $15.66

-14.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.24 $11.24

$14.91 $14.91

-24.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.82 $17.82

$19.14 $19.14

-6.90%

Apples (1kg)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.18 $5.18

53.86%

Banana (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.07 $2.07

37.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.03 $4.03

47.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.58 $7.58

$6.87 $6.87

10.33%

Potato (1kg)

$4.03 $4.03

$3.77 $3.77

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$4.81 $4.81

-19.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.69 $2.69

-17.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.39 $2.39

-15.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.11 $12.11

$11.63 $11.63

4.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.83 $9.83

$15.78 $15.78

-37.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.05 $2.05

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.95 $2.95

-13.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.44 $2.44

-17.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$87.8 $87.8

$98.8 $98.8

-11.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.91 $3.91

-22.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.91 $1.91

-2.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.03 $29.03

$27.22 $27.22

6.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 $1.32

$1.25 $1.25

5.60%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$33.5K $33.5K

$30.0K $30.0K

11.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$27.6K $27.6K

$28.9K $28.9K

-4.52%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$228 $228

$328 $328

-30.47%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$50.6 $50.6

$58.2 $58.2

-13.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$75.0 $75.0

0.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$123 $123

$45.29 $45.29

170.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$75.6 $75.6

$30.01 $30.01

151.88%

Cinema Ticket

$14.16 $14.16

$13.99 $13.99

1.22%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$1,877 $1,877

$1,678 $1,678

11.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K $20.4K

$27.8K $27.8K

-26.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 $57.9

$60.7 $60.7

-4.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.66 $42.66

$64.9 $64.9

-34.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 $85.8

$92.5 $92.5

-7.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 $109

$124 $124

-12.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,477 $2,477

$2,021 $2,021

22.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,416 $2,416

$1,696 $1,696

42.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,353 $3,353

$3,568 $3,568

-6.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,661 $3,661

$2,825 $2,825

29.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,676 $3,676

$5,012 $5,012

-26.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,743 $3,743

$3,687 $3,687

1.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,739 $4,739

$4,631 $4,631

2.32%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.57

-0.76%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Fairfield, CA: April 20, 2026

Last update for Sacramento, CA: April 20, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,477 in Fairfield, CA and $2,021 in Sacramento, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Fairfield, CA pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $81 in Fairfield, CA vs $78 in Sacramento, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $446 vs $470, with Fairfield, CA cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Fairfield, CA vs Sacramento, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Sacramento, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 22% lower than in Fairfield, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Sacramento, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Fairfield, CA pays 2% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,477 in Fairfield, CA versus $2,021 in Sacramento, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $3,962 per month in Fairfield, CA versus $3,256 in Sacramento, CA – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Sacramento, CA runs roughly 12% less than in Fairfield, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Sacramento, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Sacramento, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,256 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Sacramento, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Sacramento, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Fairfield, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.