Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacaville, CA and Cambridge Cost of Living Comparison Between Vacaville, CA and Cambridge

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,729 per month in Vacaville, CA vs $3,153 in Cambridge, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,950 per month in Vacaville, CA vs $4,455 in Cambridge, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,170 per month in Vacaville, CA vs $5,757 in Cambridge, rent included.

Vacaville, CA costs about 18% more than Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vacaville, CA and Cambridge sit above the global median – Vacaville, CA by 178%, Cambridge by 135%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.23 $15.23

$26.65 £19.85

-42.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.94 $44.94

$94.8 £70.6

-52.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$10.89 £8.11

18.18%

Cappuccino

$5.83 $5.83

$4.91 £3.66

18.74%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.87 £2.13

13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$2.01 £1.50

21.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.11 $7.11

$7.93 £5.91

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.18 $7.18

$8.13 £6.06

-11.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.95 £1.46

-24.10%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$2.23 £1.66

127.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$2.91 £2.16

125.43%

Eggs

$6.16 $6.16

$4.62 £3.44

33.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.71 $23.71

$12.63 £9.41

87.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.03 $15.03

$10.22 £7.61

47.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.93 $23.93

$18.20 £13.55

31.48%

Apples (1kg)

$7.07 $7.07

$3.16 £2.35

123.73%

Banana (1kg)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.01 £1.49

42.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$3.77 £2.81

42.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.63 $7.63

$3.55 £2.65

114.93%

Potato (1kg)

$3.88 $3.88

$1.95 £1.45

98.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.10 £1.56

85.24%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.92 $2.92

$1.38 £1.03

111.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.46 £1.09

93.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.26 $14.26

$20.53 £15.29

-30.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.77 $15.77

$11.26 £8.38

40.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.48 £2.59

-24.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 $3.18

$4.17 £3.11

-23.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.68 £2.00

-27.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.1 £60.4

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.23 $4.23

$6.71 £5.00

-36.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.50 £1.86

-22.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$39.25 $39.25

$53.3 £39.70

-26.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.88 £1.40

-37.77%

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

$34.8K $34.8K

$37.8K £28.2K

-8.01%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$44.6K £33.2K

-42.18%

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

$218 $218

$341 £254

-35.99%

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

$64.5 $64.5

$15.52 £11.56

315.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$67.1 $67.1

$38.75 £28.86

73.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.0 $71.0

$73.7 £54.9

-3.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.71 £10.96

Cinema Ticket

$16.90 $16.90

$16.27 £12.12

3.87%

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

$1,276 $1,276

$2,297 £1,711

-44.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.8K $37.8K

$23.3K £17.3K

62.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.9 $67.9

$85.9 £64.0

-21.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.90 $45.90

$56.6 £42.15

-18.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$86.1 £64.1

18.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$120 £89.6

24.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,367 $2,367

$1,912 £1,424

23.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,242 $2,242

$1,573 £1,171

42.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,124 $3,124

$3,540 £2,637

-11.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,942 $2,942

$2,484 £1,850

18.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,775 $3,775

$9,341 £6,957

-59.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,064 £4,516

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,195 $5,195

$4,417 £3,290

17.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.36

5.54

14.80%

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

Last update for Vacaville, CA: May 31, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,367 in Vacaville, CA versus $1,912 in Cambridge. 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 18% higher in Vacaville, 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 $45.00 in Vacaville, CA versus $95.0 in Cambridge. Groceries tell a different story – $563 in Vacaville, CA vs $358 in Cambridge – so Cambridge wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Vacaville, CA vs Cambridge: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Vacaville, CA is pricier by about 18%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,594 per month in Vacaville, CA and $4,730 in Cambridge. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Cambridge, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,729 in Vacaville, CA and $3,153 in Cambridge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,276 per month in Vacaville, CA and $2,297 in Cambridge. 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 $3,729 in Vacaville, CA and $3,153 in Cambridge. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Cambridge – 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 Cambridge. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vacaville, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.