Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sacramento, CA and Boulder, CO

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,056 a month against $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent and utilities included – about $5,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

149

Cost of Living Index in Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento, CA Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Boulder, CO
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Boulder, CO Living Index

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Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,056

/mo nomad

Boulder, CO

🇺🇸 United States

$3,518

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sacramento, CA and in Boulder, CO

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

A single person spends $3,056 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $3,518 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $3,056
Boulder, CO $3,518

A couple spends around $4,515 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $5,103 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $4,515
Boulder, CO $5,103

A family of three spends $5,974 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $6,689 in Boulder, CO, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $5,974
Boulder, CO $6,689

Sacramento, CA is about 13% cheaper than Boulder, CO, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Sacramento, CA and Boulder, CO sit above the global median – Sacramento, CA by 125%, Boulder, CO by 160%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 $20.81

$19.81 $19.81

5.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$79.3 $79.3

24.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.42 $12.42

$15.07 $15.07

-17.58%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$5.56 $5.56

-9.17%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$3.70 $3.70

-20.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.88 $2.88

5.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

$7.09 $7.09

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$8.84 $8.84

-8.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.18 $1.18

9.32%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.55 $5.55

-25.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$6.50 $6.50

-28.77%

Eggs

$5.77 $5.77

$5.53 $5.53

4.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$11.85 $11.85

29.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$10.91 $10.91

40.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 $17.93

$17.35 $17.35

3.34%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$5.93 $5.93

-13.15%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.46 $1.46

33.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$6.35 $6.35

-33.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$6.09 $6.09

-5.75%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$3.92 $3.92

-3.83%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$3.84 $3.84

-14.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.35 $3.35

-24.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.65 $2.65

3.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$10.24 $10.24

16.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 $14.16

$17.23 $17.23

-17.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.86 $1.86

41.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$4.94 $4.94

-28.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$2.82 $2.82

-12.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 $99.6

$152 $152

-34.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$2.43 $2.43

62.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.38 $1.38

38.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.77 $24.77

$24.21 $24.21

2.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.08 $1.08

44.44%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.5K $27.5K

27.34%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$26.9K $26.9K

-0.43%

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

$233 $233

$279 $279

-16.32%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$72.1 $72.1

-17.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$74.2 $74.2

-5.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.45 $40.45

$83.1 $83.1

-51.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

$20.21 $20.21

102.82%

Cinema Ticket

$17.17 $17.17

$16.72 $16.72

2.69%

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

$1,561 $1,561

$1,633 $1,633

-4.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$31.2K $31.2K

-37.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 $61.1

$69.2 $69.2

-11.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.14 $47.14

$48.21 $48.21

-2.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$92.2 $92.2

3.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$144 $144

-10.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 $2,096

$2,374 $2,374

-11.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$1,825 $1,825

-15.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,263 $3,263

$4,307 $4,307

-24.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$3,069 $3,069

-17.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,820 $4,820

$4,420 $4,420

9.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,439 $3,439

$4,495 $4,495

-23.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,704 $4,704

$5,629 $5,629

-16.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.55

0.61%

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

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Boulder, CO: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 50.3%

Boulder, CO

$1.8K 51.9% 18.8% $289

Groceries & Markets

Sacramento, CA

$465 15.2%

Boulder, CO

$470 13.4% 1% $4.9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sacramento, CA

$363 11.9%

Boulder, CO

$425 12.1% 17.1% $62

Eating Out

Sacramento, CA

$344 11.3%

Boulder, CO

$350 10% 1.6% $5.6

Clothing & Footwear

Sacramento, CA

$149 4.9%

Boulder, CO

$159 4.5% 6.3% $9.4

Getting Around

Sacramento, CA

$123 4%

Boulder, CO

$173 4.9% 40.3% $50

Sport & Entertainment

Sacramento, CA

$75 2.5%

Boulder, CO

$117 3.3% 55.8% $42

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,096 in Sacramento, CA versus $2,374 in Boulder, CO. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 20% higher in Boulder, CO, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Sacramento, CA versus $79.0 in Boulder, CO. Groceries tell a different story – $465 in Sacramento, CA vs $470 in Boulder, CO – so Sacramento, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 Boulder, CO

🕒 Local time

18:23 6:23 PM

19:23 7:23 PM

1 h ahead of Sacramento, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

524,943

106,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sacramento, CA Boulder, CO 1,380 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Sacramento, CA
Boulder, CO

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

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

Yes – Boulder, CO is pricier by about 15%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,583 per month in Sacramento, CA and $5,277 in Boulder, CO. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sacramento, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Boulder, CO, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99.0 in Sacramento, CA and $79.0 in Boulder, CO. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,056 in Sacramento, CA and $3,518 in Boulder, CO. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sacramento, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sacramento, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Boulder, CO makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.