Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Salem, MA and Sacramento, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,000 a month against $3,554 in Salem, MA, rent and utilities included – about $6,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Salem, MA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

171

Cost of Living Index in Salem, MA
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Salem, MA Living Index
143

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

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Salem, MA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,554

/mo nomad

Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,554 per month in Salem, MA vs $3,000 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

Salem, MA $3,554
Sacramento, CA $3,000

A couple spends around $4,918 per month in Salem, MA vs $4,471 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

Salem, MA $4,918
Sacramento, CA $4,471

A family of three spends $6,282 per month in Salem, MA vs $5,943 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

Salem, MA $6,282
Sacramento, CA $5,943

Salem, MA costs about 18% more than Sacramento, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Salem, MA and Sacramento, CA sit above the global median – Salem, MA by 161%, Sacramento, CA by 120%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$21.12 $21.12

19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.6 $99.6

1.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.89 $10.89

$12.26 $12.26

-11.17%

Cappuccino

$4.95 $4.95

$5.19 $5.19

-4.62%

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

$2.48 $2.48

$2.91 $2.91

-14.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 $2.13

$2.94 $2.94

-27.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.90 $7.90

$7.85 $7.85

0.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$7.83 $7.83

-10.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.26 $1.26

$1.31 $1.31

-3.82%

White Bread (500g)

$3.61 $3.61

$4.16 $4.16

-13.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.59 $4.59

-3.49%

Eggs

$4.43 $4.43

$5.87 $5.87

-24.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.51 $12.51

$15.16 $15.16

-17.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.34 $11.34

$15.14 $15.14

-25.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.95 $16.95

$18.50 $18.50

-8.38%

Apples (1kg)

$4.71 $4.71

$4.98 $4.98

-5.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.95 $1.95

-18.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.40 $4.40

$4.41 $4.41

-0.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$5.67 $5.67

-17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$3.67 $3.67

-23.98%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.31 $3.31

-11.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.40 $2.40

4.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$2.61 $2.61

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.56 $9.56

$11.83 $11.83

-19.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.21 $14.21

7.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.59 $2.59

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 $3.35

$3.65 $3.65

-8.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.57 $2.57

-12.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$59.6 $59.6

$100.0 $100.0

-40.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.47 $3.47

$4.06 $4.06

-14.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.78 $1.78

$1.92 $1.92

-7.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$26.75 $26.75

$25.35 $25.35

5.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.62 $1.62

-45.68%

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

$24.5K $24.5K

$34.5K $34.5K

-29.06%

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

$22.9K $22.9K

$26.7K $26.7K

-14.15%

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

$193 $193

$231 $231

-16.43%

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

$58.4 $58.4

$61.0 $61.0

-4.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$69.0 $69.0

-4.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.42 $42.42

$31.12 $31.12

36.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.69 $40.69

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$17.25 $17.25

-14.32%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$1,532 $1,532

-7.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K $21.9K

$19.0K $19.0K

15.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$85.3 $85.3

$60.5 $60.5

40.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.1 $57.1

$47.13 $47.13

21.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 $97.7

$93.1 $93.1

5.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.3 $98.3

$131 $131

-24.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,353 $2,353

$1,986 $1,986

18.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,164 $2,164

$1,491 $1,491

45.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,963 $3,963

$3,109 $3,109

27.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,088 $3,088

$2,505 $2,505

23.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,802 $2,802

$5,486 $5,486

-48.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,303 $2,303

$3,428 $3,428

-32.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,667 $9,667

$4,815 $4,815

100.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.57

6.59

-0.30%

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

Last update for Salem, MA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Salem, MA

$2.2K 60.9%

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 49.7% 31.1% $673

Groceries & Markets

Salem, MA

$402 11.3%

Sacramento, CA

$463 15.4% 15.1% $61

Eating Out

Salem, MA

$366 10.3%

Sacramento, CA

$346 11.5% 5.3% $19

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Salem, MA

$317 8.9%

Sacramento, CA

$361 12% 13.9% $44

Clothing & Footwear

Salem, MA

$152 4.3%

Sacramento, CA

$149 5% 2.1% $3.2

Getting Around

Salem, MA

$81 2.3%

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1% 53.1% $43

Sport & Entertainment

Salem, MA

$72 2%

Sacramento, CA

$66 2.2% 8.8% $6.4

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,353 in Salem, MA versus $1,986 in Sacramento, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries in Salem, MA are about 2 times higher. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Salem, MA versus $100 in Sacramento, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $402 in Salem, MA vs $463 in Sacramento, CA – so Salem, MA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Salem, MA

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🕒 Local time

02:25 2:25 AM

23:25 11:25 PM

3 h behind Salem, MA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

155,469

524,943

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Salem, MA Sacramento, CA 4,240 km ≈ 6 h nonstop flight

From you

Salem, MA
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

Salem, MA vs Sacramento, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Salem, MA is pricier by about 18%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,332 per month in Salem, MA and $4,500 in Sacramento, 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 $2,353 in Salem, MA.

Public transport costs about 40% less in Salem, MA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 13% cheaper in Salem, MA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,554 in Salem, MA and $3,000 in Sacramento, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Salem, MA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,000 in Sacramento, CA to $3,554 in Salem, MA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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