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 $3,668 per month in Vacaville, CA vs $3,165 in Cambridge, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,816 per month in Vacaville, CA vs $4,481 in Cambridge, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,965 per month in Vacaville, CA vs $5,797 in Cambridge, rent included.

Vacaville, CA costs about 16% more than Cambridge, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Vacaville, CA and Cambridge sit above the global median – Vacaville, CA by 175%, Cambridge by 137%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.09 $15.09

$27.66 £20.56

-45.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$44.39 $44.39

$95.6 £71.1

-53.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.76 $12.76

$10.72 £7.97

19.03%

Cappuccino

$5.74 $5.74

$4.93 £3.66

16.43%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$2.80 £2.08

16.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.06 £1.53

24.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.95 $6.95

$8.30 £6.17

-16.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.80 $6.80

$8.24 £6.13

-17.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.89 £1.40

-19.58%

White Bread (500g)

$5.21 $5.21

$2.25 £1.68

131.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.62 $6.62

$2.94 £2.18

125.17%

Eggs

$6.14 $6.14

$4.61 £3.43

33.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$23.65 $23.65

$12.39 £9.21

90.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.74 $14.74

$10.33 £7.68

42.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.94 $23.94

$18.22 £13.55

31.39%

Apples (1kg)

$7.08 $7.08

$3.33 £2.47

112.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.91 $2.91

$1.96 £1.46

48.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.31 $5.31

$3.60 £2.67

47.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$7.62 $7.62

$3.67 £2.73

107.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$1.88 £1.40

97.87%

Onion (1kg)

$3.97 $3.97

$2.06 £1.53

92.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.32 £0.98

121.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$1.54 £1.15

85.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.05 $14.05

$20.01 £14.88

-29.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.09 $15.09

$10.96 £8.14

37.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.49 £2.60

-24.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.21 $3.21

$4.23 £3.14

-24.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.66 £1.98

-25.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$81.0 £60.2

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.25 $4.25

$6.62 £4.92

-35.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.45 £1.82

-23.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$38.77 $38.77

$55.2 £41.06

-29.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 $1.18

$1.92 £1.43

-38.54%

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

$35.6K $35.6K

$38.9K £28.9K

-8.52%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$43.9K £32.7K

-39.93%

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

$224 $224

$338 £251

-33.74%

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

$64.6 $64.6

$15.78 £11.73

309.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.5 $68.5

$39.86 £29.63

71.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 $71.4

$74.1 £55.1

-3.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.91 £11.08

Cinema Ticket

$17.12 $17.12

$16.20 £12.04

5.68%

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

$1,278 $1,278

$2,277 £1,692

-43.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.4K $37.4K

$23.4K £17.4K

60.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.3 $68.3

$87.5 £65.0

-21.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.34 $46.34

$55.5 £41.28

-16.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$85.6 £63.6

20.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$151 $151

$124 £92.1

21.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,365 $2,365

$1,899 £1,412

24.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,241 $2,241

$1,620 £1,204

38.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,157 $3,157

$3,522 £2,618

-10.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,865 $2,865

$2,557 £1,901

12.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,708 $3,708

$9,013 £6,701

-58.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,024 £4,478

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,269 $5,269

$4,419 £3,285

19.23%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Cambridge: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,365 in Vacaville, CA versus $1,899 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 19% 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 $44.00 in Vacaville, CA versus $96.0 in Cambridge. Groceries tell a different story – $562 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 16%, 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 $5,501 per month in Vacaville, CA and $4,748 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 $3,668 in Vacaville, CA and $3,165 in Cambridge. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $1,278 per month in Vacaville, CA and $2,277 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 $3,668 in Vacaville, CA and $3,165 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.