Last update: Oct 2026

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

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

149

Cost of Living Index in Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento, CA Living Index
149

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

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Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,056

/mo nomad

Newark, NJ

🇺🇸 United States

$3,069

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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 Newark, NJ actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.81 $20.81

$20.21 $20.21

2.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$98.7 $98.7

-0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.42 $12.42

$14.21 $14.21

-12.60%

Cappuccino

$5.05 $5.05

$6.36 $6.36

-20.60%

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

$2.94 $2.94

$3.73 $3.73

-21.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.47 $2.47

23.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.98 $7.98

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$9.97 $9.97

-18.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.37 $1.37

-5.84%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$4.51 $4.51

-7.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.63 $4.63

$7.53 $7.53

-38.51%

Eggs

$5.77 $5.77

$5.90 $5.90

-2.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.32 $15.32

$7.22 $7.22

112.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.36 $15.36

$17.30 $17.30

-11.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.93 $17.93

$19.10 $19.10

-6.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 $5.15

$6.76 $6.76

-23.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.30 $2.30

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.23 $4.23

$6.39 $6.39

-33.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.74 $5.74

$6.67 $6.67

-13.94%

Potato (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.02 $4.02

-6.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$4.37 $4.37

-24.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.76 $2.76

-7.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.63 $2.63

3.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.95 $11.95

$11.85 $11.85

0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.16 $14.16

$19.62 $19.62

-27.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.91 $1.91

37.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.55 $3.55

$2.73 $2.73

30.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.48 $2.48

$6.13 $6.13

-59.54%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$99.6 $99.6

$54.7 $54.7

81.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.03 $3.03

30.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.16 $2.16

-11.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.77 $24.77

$42.49 $42.49

-41.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.04 $1.04

50.00%

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

$35.0K $35.0K

$27.3K $27.3K

28.05%

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

$26.8K $26.8K

$25.9K $25.9K

3.22%

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

$233 $233

$213 $213

9.81%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$75.4 $75.4

-20.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.1 $70.1

$70.6 $70.6

-0.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.45 $40.45

$29.52 $29.52

37.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.99 $40.99

$17.80 $17.80

130.28%

Cinema Ticket

$17.17 $17.17

$14.72 $14.72

16.64%

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

$1,561 $1,561

$2,129 $2,129

-26.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.4K $19.4K

$61.3K $61.3K

-68.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.1 $61.1

$60.4 $60.4

1.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.14 $47.14

$27.55 $27.55

71.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$121 $121

-21.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$138 $138

-6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,096 $2,096

$2,577 $2,577

-18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,536 $1,536

$1,535 $1,535

0.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,263 $3,263

$4,332 $4,332

-24.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,525 $2,525

$2,608 $2,608

-3.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,820 $4,820

$5,702 $5,702

-15.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,439 $3,439

$5,577 $5,577

-38.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,704 $4,704

$3,568 $3,568

31.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.68

-1.35%

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

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Newark, NJ: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 50.3%

Newark, NJ

$1.5K 50% 0% $0.2

Groceries & Markets

Sacramento, CA

$465 15.2%

Newark, NJ

$502 16.4% 7.9% $37

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sacramento, CA

$363 11.9%

Newark, NJ

$359 11.7% 1.3% $4.6

Eating Out

Sacramento, CA

$344 11.3%

Newark, NJ

$365 11.9% 6.1% $21

Clothing & Footwear

Sacramento, CA

$149 4.9%

Newark, NJ

$156 5.1% 4.4% $6.6

Getting Around

Sacramento, CA

$123 4%

Newark, NJ

$93 3% 24.3% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Sacramento, CA

$75 2.5%

Newark, NJ

$59 1.9% 21.2% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,096 in Sacramento, CA and $2,577 in Newark, NJ. 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 Sacramento, CA vs $99.0 in Newark, NJ for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $465 vs $502 per month, with Sacramento, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 Newark, NJ

🕒 Local time

23:01 11:01 PM

02:01 2:01 AM

3 h ahead of Sacramento, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

524,943

311,549

💱 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 Newark, NJ 4,010 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Sacramento, CA
Newark, NJ

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 Newark, NJ: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 32% higher in Sacramento, CA, 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: $2,096 in Sacramento, CA versus $2,577 in Newark, NJ. 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.