Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Newark, NJ and Sacramento, CA

For one person, living costs are similar in Newark, NJ and in Sacramento, CA: $3,069 and $3,056 a month, rent and utilities included.

149

Cost of Living Index in Newark, NJ
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Newark, NJ Living Index
149

Cost of Living Index in Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento, CA Living Index

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Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,056

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Newark, NJ and in Sacramento, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Newark, NJ and in Sacramento, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,069 in Newark, NJ versus $3,056 in Sacramento, CA.

Newark, NJ $3,069
Sacramento, CA $3,056

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,584 in Newark, NJ versus $4,515 in Sacramento, CA.

Newark, NJ $4,584
Sacramento, CA $4,515

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,098 in Newark, NJ versus $5,974 in Sacramento, CA.

Newark, NJ $6,098
Sacramento, CA $5,974

Monthly costs are close between Newark, NJ and Sacramento, CA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Newark, NJ 127% above, Sacramento, CA 125% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.21 $20.21

$20.81 $20.81

-2.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.7 $98.7

$98.6 $98.6

0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.21 $14.21

$12.42 $12.42

14.41%

Cappuccino

$6.36 $6.36

$5.05 $5.05

25.94%

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

$3.73 $3.73

$2.94 $2.94

26.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.04 $3.04

-18.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.97 $9.97

$8.09 $8.09

23.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.29 $1.29

6.20%

White Bread (500g)

$4.51 $4.51

$4.16 $4.16

8.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$7.53 $7.53

$4.63 $4.63

62.63%

Eggs

$5.90 $5.90

$5.77 $5.77

2.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.22 $7.22

$15.32 $15.32

-52.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.30 $17.30

$15.36 $15.36

12.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.10 $19.10

$17.93 $17.93

6.53%

Apples (1kg)

$6.76 $6.76

$5.15 $5.15

31.26%

Banana (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$1.95 $1.95

17.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$6.39 $6.39

$4.23 $4.23

51.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.67 $6.67

$5.74 $5.74

16.20%

Potato (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$3.77 $3.77

6.63%

Onion (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$3.30 $3.30

32.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.54 $2.54

8.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$2.73 $2.73

-3.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.85 $11.85

$11.95 $11.95

-0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.62 $19.62

$14.16 $14.16

38.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.63 $2.63

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$3.55 $3.55

-23.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$6.13 $6.13

$2.48 $2.48

147.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$54.7 $54.7

$99.6 $99.6

-45.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.94 $3.94

-23.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.16 $2.16

$1.91 $1.91

13.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$42.49 $42.49

$24.77 $24.77

71.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.56 $1.56

-33.33%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$35.0K $35.0K

-21.90%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$26.8K $26.8K

-3.12%

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

$213 $213

$233 $233

-8.93%

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

$75.4 $75.4

$59.7 $59.7

26.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.6 $70.6

$70.1 $70.1

0.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.52 $29.52

$40.45 $40.45

-27.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.80 $17.80

$40.99 $40.99

-56.57%

Cinema Ticket

$14.72 $14.72

$17.17 $17.17

-14.27%

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

$2,129 $2,129

$1,561 $1,561

36.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$61.3K $61.3K

$19.4K $19.4K

215.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.4 $60.4

$61.1 $61.1

-1.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.55 $27.55

$47.14 $47.14

-41.56%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$121 $121

$95.1 $95.1

27.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 $138

$129 $129

7.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,577 $2,577

$2,096 $2,096

22.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,535 $1,535

$1,536 $1,536

-0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$3,263 $3,263

32.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,608 $2,608

$2,525 $2,525

3.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,702 $5,702

$4,820 $4,820

18.30%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,577 $5,577

$3,439 $3,439

62.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,568 $3,568

$4,704 $4,704

-24.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.59

1.37%

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

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50%

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 50.3% 0% $0.2

Groceries & Markets

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4%

Sacramento, CA

$465 15.2% 7.3% $37

Eating Out

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9%

Sacramento, CA

$344 11.3% 5.7% $21

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7%

Sacramento, CA

$363 11.9% 1.3% $4.6

Clothing & Footwear

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1%

Sacramento, CA

$149 4.9% 4.2% $6.6

Getting Around

Newark, NJ

$93 3%

Sacramento, CA

$123 4% 32.1% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9%

Sacramento, CA

$75 2.5% 26.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,577 in Newark, NJ and $2,096 in Sacramento, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Sacramento, CA pays 32% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $99.0 in Newark, NJ vs $99.0 in Sacramento, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $502 vs $465, with Sacramento, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🕒 Local time

00:36 12:36 AM

21:36 9:36 PM

3 h behind Newark, NJ

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

311,549

524,943

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Newark, NJ Sacramento, CA 4,010 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Newark, NJ
Sacramento, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

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

On paper, salaries run 32% lower in Sacramento, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,577 in Newark, NJ versus $2,096 in Sacramento, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Sacramento, CA runs roughly 82% less than in Newark, NJ. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Newark, NJ. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

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.

For families, Sacramento, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Newark, NJ, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

It comes down to priorities – Sacramento, CA wins on affordability, Newark, NJ on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.