Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,000 a month against $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $19,300 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
223

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

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Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,607

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sacramento, CA and in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,000 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $3,000
San Mateo, CA $4,607

A couple spends around $4,471 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $6,460 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $4,471
San Mateo, CA $6,460

A family of three spends $5,943 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $8,313 in San Mateo, CA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $5,943
San Mateo, CA $8,313

Sacramento, CA is about 35% cheaper than San Mateo, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sacramento, CA and San Mateo, CA sit above the global median – Sacramento, CA by 120%, San Mateo, CA by 238%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.12 $21.12

$20.32 $20.32

3.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.6 $99.6

$101 $101

-1.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 $12.26

$12.89 $12.89

-4.89%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$5.80 $5.80

-10.52%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.04 $3.04

-4.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$2.81 $2.81

4.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.35 $8.35

-5.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$10.14 $10.14

-22.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.64 $1.64

-20.12%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.95 $5.95

-30.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.23 $6.23

-26.32%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$7.45 $7.45

-21.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$13.58 $13.58

11.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$18.53 $18.53

-18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$19.67 $19.67

-5.95%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$5.92 $5.92

-15.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.25 $2.25

-13.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$4.06 $4.06

8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$8.56 $8.56

-33.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$4.38 $4.38

-16.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.19 $3.19

3.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.02 $3.02

-20.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$1.94 $1.94

34.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$11.76 $11.76

0.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$14.52 $14.52

-2.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.70 $1.70

52.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$1.99 $1.99

83.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.20 $2.20

16.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 $100.0

$64.8 $64.8

54.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$4.24 $4.24

-4.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$2.05 $2.05

-6.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.35 $25.35

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.55 $1.55

4.52%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$27.4K $27.4K

25.80%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.74%

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

$231 $231

$268 $268

-13.76%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$41.40 $41.40

47.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$60.9 $60.9

13.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 $31.12

$81.3 $81.3

-61.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.69 $40.69

$9.60 $9.60

323.85%

Cinema Ticket

$17.25 $17.25

$17.80 $17.80

-3.09%

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

$1,532 $1,532

$3,045 $3,045

-49.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$28.6K $28.6K

-33.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$62.0 $62.0

-2.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 $47.13

$45.94 $45.94

2.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$118 $118

-21.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$137 $137

-4.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$3,414 $3,414

-41.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$2,991 $2,991

-50.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,109 $3,109

$5,766 $5,766

-46.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 $2,505

$4,683 $4,683

-46.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,486 $5,486

$9,613 $9,613

-42.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,428 $3,428

$8,493 $8,493

-59.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,815 $4,815

$7,661 $7,661

-37.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.53

0.92%

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 Mateo, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 49.7%

San Mateo, CA

$3K 64.9% 101% $1.5K

Groceries & Markets

Sacramento, CA

$463 15.4%

San Mateo, CA

$522 11.3% 12.7% $59

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sacramento, CA

$361 12%

San Mateo, CA

$370 8% 2.5% $9.1

Eating Out

Sacramento, CA

$346 11.5%

San Mateo, CA

$356 7.7% 2.9% $9.9

Clothing & Footwear

Sacramento, CA

$149 5%

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.6% 9.5% $14

Getting Around

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1%

San Mateo, CA

$88 1.9% 29% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Sacramento, CA

$66 2.2%

San Mateo, CA

$117 2.5% 78.1% $51

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Sacramento, CA versus $3,414 in San Mateo, 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 59% higher in San Mateo, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Sacramento, CA versus $101 in San Mateo, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $463 vs $522 – making Sacramento, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🕒 Local time

17:15 5:15 PM

Same time as Sacramento, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

524,943

103,536

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Sacramento, CA San Mateo, CA 130 km

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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 Mateo, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – San Mateo, CA is pricier by about 54%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,500 per month in Sacramento, CA and $6,910 in San Mateo, 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 $3,414 in San Mateo, CA.

Public transport costs about 35% less in San Mateo, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 13% more in San Mateo, 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 $4,607 in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.