City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Chico | Sacramento | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,360/mo | $1,592/mo | 14.6% lower in A |
| Median home value | $427,600 | $450,500 | 5.1% lower in A |
| Median household income | $65,932 | $78,954 | 16.5% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 103.5 | 105.6 | 2.1% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 124.1 | 127.6 | 2.8% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 103.3 | 107.8 | 4.2% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 102.2 | 108.2 | 5.6% lower in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Chico, you'd need $109,377 in Sacramento to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Chico, CA is about 8.6% cheaper overall than Sacramento, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 15% lower in Chico than in Sacramento. If you earn $80,000 in Chico, you'd need about $87,502 in Sacramento to keep the same standard of living.