Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,063 a month against $4,077 in San Diego, CA, rent and utilities included – about $12,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

197

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
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San Diego, CA Living Index
150

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

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San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,077

/mo nomad

Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,063

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,077 per month in San Diego, CA vs $3,063 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $4,077
Sacramento, CA $3,063

A couple spends around $6,059 per month in San Diego, CA vs $4,559 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $6,059
Sacramento, CA $4,559

A family of three spends $8,041 per month in San Diego, CA vs $6,055 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $8,041
Sacramento, CA $6,055

San Diego, CA costs about 33% more than Sacramento, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both San Diego, CA and Sacramento, CA sit above the global median – San Diego, CA by 202%, Sacramento, CA by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.72 $24.72

$21.36 $21.36

15.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 $97.7

$101 $101

-3.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.25 $13.25

$12.61 $12.61

5.08%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$5.16 $5.16

15.50%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$2.93 $2.93

6.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.03 $3.03

-13.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.06 $8.06

0.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$7.95 $7.95

39.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.28 $1.28

7.03%

White Bread (500g)

$5.58 $5.58

$4.06 $4.06

37.44%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$4.60 $4.60

2.17%

Eggs

$6.77 $6.77

$5.72 $5.72

18.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$14.93 $14.93

14.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$15.38 $15.38

-7.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$18.01 $18.01

15.05%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$4.89 $4.89

-5.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.94 $1.94

-4.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$4.30 $4.30

0.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$5.61 $5.61

-9.45%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.75 $3.75

-17.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.20 $3.20

-15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.45 $2.45

-13.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.61 $2.61

-22.99%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$11.69 $11.69

0.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 $16.72

$14.05 $14.05

19.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.73 $2.73

-20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.56 $3.56

-10.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.48 $2.48

-0.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 $73.4

$101 $101

-27.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$3.98 $3.98

-24.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.92 $1.92

8.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.38 $28.38

$24.88 $24.88

14.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$37.1K $37.1K

-0.17%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

$27.7K $27.7K

-7.49%

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

$256 $256

$233 $233

10.18%

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

$73.9 $73.9

$60.6 $60.6

21.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 $84.4

$68.0 $68.0

24.17%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 $72.9

$40.84 $40.84

78.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 $24.09

$41.14 $41.14

-41.44%

Cinema Ticket

$20.21 $20.21

$17.06 $17.06

18.46%

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

$1,968 $1,968

$1,548 $1,548

27.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$19.0K $19.0K

88.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$60.6 $60.6

12.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 $54.7

$46.24 $46.24

18.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$93.6 $93.6

21.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$127 $127

15.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,210 $3,210

$2,126 $2,126

50.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 $2,410

$1,545 $1,545

55.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,499 $5,499

$3,299 $3,299

66.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,336 $4,336

$2,595 $2,595

67.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,110 $8,110

$4,832 $4,832

67.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,682 $6,682

$3,482 $3,482

91.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,975 $4,975

$4,626 $4,626

7.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.59

1.67%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Diego, CA

$2.4K 59.1%

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 50.5% 35.9% $865

Groceries & Markets

San Diego, CA

$475 11.7%

Sacramento, CA

$459 15% 3.4% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Diego, CA

$414 10.2%

Sacramento, CA

$361 11.8% 12.9% $53

Eating Out

San Diego, CA

$395 9.7%

Sacramento, CA

$351 11.5% 11.2% $44

Clothing & Footwear

San Diego, CA

$172 4.2%

Sacramento, CA

$147 4.8% 14.6% $25

Sport & Entertainment

San Diego, CA

$113 2.8%

Sacramento, CA

$75 2.5% 33.8% $38

Getting Around

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4%

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1% 28.4% $28

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,210 in San Diego, CA versus $2,126 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 run about 8% 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 $98.0 in San Diego, CA versus $101 in Sacramento, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $475 in San Diego, CA vs $459 in Sacramento, CA – so Sacramento, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🕒 Local time

15:28 3:28 PM

Same time as San Diego, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,386,932

524,943

💱 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

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

From you

San Diego, CA
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

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

Yes – San Diego, CA is pricier by about 33%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,116 per month in San Diego, CA and $4,594 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. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 37% less in Sacramento, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,968 per month in San Diego, CA and $1,548 in Sacramento, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,077 in San Diego, CA and $3,063 in Sacramento, 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.

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, San Diego, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.