Cost of Living: Fresno, CA vs Sacramento, CA

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $3,974/mo in Fresno, CA versus $3,974/mo in Sacramento, CA. In the model, rent is about 19.29% of gross in Fresno, CA versus 24.69% in Sacramento, CA, so Fresno, CA tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Fresno, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Sacramento, CA
$3,974/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Fresno, CA
19.29%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Sacramento, CA
24.69%
COLI tier: higher-cost

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Fresno, CA and Sacramento, CA.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Fresno, CA
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Fresno, CA
  • Lower home prices: Fresno, CA
  • Higher median household income: Sacramento, CA

Cost of Living Index

Fresno, CA: 108.5 (U.S. = 100) · Sacramento, CA: 118.2 (U.S. = 100)

Fresno, CA has a lower cost-of-living index than Sacramento, CA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Fresno, CA: $1,258/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Sacramento, CA: $1,610/mo

Median rent in Sacramento, CA is $352/mo higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Home Price

Fresno, CA: $348,500 · Sacramento, CA: $484,600

Median home price in Sacramento, CA is $136,100 higher than in Fresno, CA.

Median Household Income

Fresno, CA: $66,804 · Sacramento, CA: $83,753

Sacramento, CA has a higher median household income than Fresno, CA by $16,949.

Fresno, CA overview · Sacramento, CA overview · Popular comparisons