Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,063 a month against $4,419 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $16,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

215

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

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

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San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,419

/mo nomad

Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,063

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,419 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $3,063 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $4,419
Sacramento, CA $3,063

A couple spends around $6,644 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $4,559 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $6,644
Sacramento, CA $4,559

A family of three spends $8,868 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $6,055 in Sacramento, CA, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $8,868
Sacramento, CA $6,055

San Mateo, CA costs about 44% more than Sacramento, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both San Mateo, CA and Sacramento, CA sit above the global median – San Mateo, CA by 227%, Sacramento, CA by 127%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.81 $19.81

$21.36 $21.36

-7.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$101 $101

-3.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$12.61 $12.61

2.06%

Cappuccino

$5.54 $5.54

$5.16 $5.16

7.36%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$2.93 $2.93

5.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.03 $3.03

-7.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.31 $8.31

$8.06 $8.06

3.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.86 $9.86

$7.95 $7.95

24.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 $1.61

$1.28 $1.28

25.78%

White Bread (500g)

$5.96 $5.96

$4.06 $4.06

46.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$4.60 $4.60

30.00%

Eggs

$7.19 $7.19

$5.72 $5.72

25.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$14.93 $14.93

-10.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$19.03 $19.03

$15.38 $15.38

23.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.87 $19.87

$18.01 $18.01

10.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.89 $4.89

23.93%

Banana (1kg)

$2.13 $2.13

$1.94 $1.94

9.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.90 $3.90

$4.30 $4.30

-9.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.86 $8.86

$5.61 $5.61

57.93%

Potato (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$3.75 $3.75

15.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.20 $3.20

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.06 $3.06

$2.45 $2.45

24.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.97 $1.97

$2.61 $2.61

-24.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.69 $11.69

2.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.53 $14.53

$14.05 $14.05

3.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.73 $2.73

-38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 $1.93

$3.56 $3.56

-45.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.99 $3.99

$2.48 $2.48

60.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.1 $97.1

$101 $101

-3.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.05 $4.05

$3.98 $3.98

1.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.92 $1.92

5.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.88 $24.88

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.56 $1.56

$1.55 $1.55

0.65%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$37.1K $37.1K

-0.62%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$27.7K $27.7K

-6.15%

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

$267 $267

$233 $233

14.73%

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

$41.54 $41.54

$60.6 $60.6

-31.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$62.4 $62.4

$68.0 $68.0

-8.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 $109

$40.84 $40.84

166.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.40 $9.40

$41.14 $41.14

-77.15%

Cinema Ticket

$18.35 $18.35

$17.06 $17.06

7.56%

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

$2,947 $2,947

$1,548 $1,548

90.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.8K $28.8K

$19.0K $19.0K

51.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.6 $63.6

$60.6 $60.6

4.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.52 $47.52

$46.24 $46.24

2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$93.6 $93.6

25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$127 $127

5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,421 $3,421

$2,126 $2,126

60.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,741 $2,741

$1,545 $1,545

77.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,944 $5,944

$3,299 $3,299

80.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,128 $5,128

$2,595 $2,595

97.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K $13.8K

$4,832 $4,832

185.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,907 $8,907

$3,482 $3,482

155.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,501 $7,501

$4,626 $4,626

62.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.59

-0.91%

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

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 10, 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 Mateo, CA

$2.7K 62%

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 50.5% 43.6% $1.2K

Groceries & Markets

San Mateo, CA

$523 11.8%

Sacramento, CA

$459 15% 12.1% $63

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Mateo, CA

$371 8.4%

Sacramento, CA

$361 11.8% 2.6% $9.6

Eating Out

San Mateo, CA

$348 7.9%

Sacramento, CA

$351 11.5% 0.6% $2.2

Clothing & Footwear

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.7%

Sacramento, CA

$147 4.8% 9.7% $16

Sport & Entertainment

San Mateo, CA

$146 3.3%

Sacramento, CA

$75 2.5% 48.5% $71

Getting Around

San Mateo, CA

$127 2.9%

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1% 2.3% $3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,421 in San Mateo, 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 62% higher in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA versus $101 in Sacramento, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $523 in San Mateo, CA vs $459 in Sacramento, CA – so Sacramento, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🕒 Local time

18:48 6:48 PM

Same time as San Mateo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,536

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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San Mateo, CA Sacramento, CA 130 km

From you

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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

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

Yes – San Mateo, CA is pricier by about 44%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,628 per month in San Mateo, 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 4% less in Sacramento, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,947 per month in San Mateo, 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 $4,419 in San Mateo, 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 Mateo, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.