Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sacramento, CA and San Diego, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,000 a month against $3,973 in San Diego, CA, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento, CA Living Index
192

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA Living Index

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Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,973

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sacramento, CA and in San Diego, CA

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 San Diego, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,000 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $3,973 in San Diego, CA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $3,000
San Diego, CA $3,973

A couple spends around $4,471 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $6,053 in San Diego, CA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $4,471
San Diego, CA $6,053

A family of three spends $5,943 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $8,133 in San Diego, CA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $5,943
San Diego, CA $8,133

Sacramento, CA is about 24% cheaper than San Diego, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Sacramento, CA and San Diego, CA sit above the global median – Sacramento, CA by 120%, San Diego, CA by 192%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.12 $21.12

$27.35 $27.35

-22.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.6 $99.6

$99.2 $99.2

0.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 $12.26

$14.82 $14.82

-17.27%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$5.96 $5.96

-12.92%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.23 $3.23

-9.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.66 $2.66

10.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.77 $7.77

1.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$10.04 $10.04

-22.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.27 $1.27

3.15%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.45 $5.45

-23.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$4.93 $4.93

-6.90%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$6.67 $6.67

-11.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$17.13 $17.13

-11.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$14.29 $14.29

5.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$21.91 $21.91

-15.56%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$4.70 $4.70

5.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.79 $1.79

8.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.77 $4.77

-7.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$4.99 $4.99

13.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.51 $3.51

4.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.81 $2.81

17.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.13 $2.13

12.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.13 $2.13

22.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$11.90 $11.90

-0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$15.70 $15.70

-9.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.25 $2.25

15.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.22 $3.22

13.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.44 $2.44

5.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 $100.0

$73.3 $73.3

36.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.95 $2.95

37.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.12 $2.12

-9.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.35 $25.35

$27.44 $27.44

-7.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.56 $1.56

3.85%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$29.8K $29.8K

15.85%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

0.93%

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

$231 $231

$251 $251

-8.07%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$70.0 $70.0

-12.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$82.6 $82.6

-16.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 $31.12

$61.3 $61.3

-49.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.69 $40.69

$22.94 $22.94

77.38%

Cinema Ticket

$17.25 $17.25

$19.71 $19.71

-12.48%

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

$1,532 $1,532

$1,888 $1,888

-18.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$35.6K $35.6K

-46.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$64.9 $64.9

-6.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 $47.13

$56.4 $56.4

-16.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$116 $116

-19.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$142 $142

-8.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$3,324 $3,324

-40.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$2,304 $2,304

-35.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,109 $3,109

$5,433 $5,433

-42.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 $2,505

$4,405 $4,405

-43.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,486 $5,486

$8,002 $8,002

-31.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,428 $3,428

$6,558 $6,558

-47.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,815 $4,815

$5,165 $5,165

-6.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.75

-2.37%

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

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 49.7%

San Diego, CA

$2.3K 58% 54.5% $813

Groceries & Markets

Sacramento, CA

$463 15.4%

San Diego, CA

$480 12.1% 3.6% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sacramento, CA

$361 12%

San Diego, CA

$404 10.2% 11.9% $43

Eating Out

Sacramento, CA

$346 11.5%

San Diego, CA

$417 10.5% 20.5% $71

Clothing & Footwear

Sacramento, CA

$149 5%

San Diego, CA

$171 4.3% 14.4% $22

Getting Around

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1%

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4% 22.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Sacramento, CA

$66 2.2%

San Diego, CA

$101 2.5% 53.5% $35

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Sacramento, CA versus $3,324 in San Diego, CA. 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 7% higher in San Diego, CA, 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 $100 in Sacramento, CA versus $99 in San Diego, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $463 in Sacramento, CA vs $480 in San Diego, CA – so Sacramento, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🕒 Local time

14:02 2:02 PM

Same time as Sacramento, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

524,943

1,386,932

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Sacramento, CA San Diego, CA 760 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Sacramento, CA
San Diego, 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

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

Yes – San Diego, CA is pricier by about 32%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,500 per month in Sacramento, CA and $5,959 in San Diego, CA. 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: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,986 there versus $3,324 in San Diego, CA.

Public transport costs about 27% less in San Diego, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 4% more in San Diego, CA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,000 in Sacramento, CA and $3,973 in San Diego, CA. 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.

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