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 | Modesto | Sacramento | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,497/mo | $1,592/mo | 6.0% lower in A |
| Median home value | $381,800 | $450,500 | 15.2% lower in A |
| Median household income | $73,375 | $78,954 | 7.1% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 104.8 | 105.6 | 0.8% lower in A |
| Utilities index | 126.2 | 127.6 | 1.1% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 105.9 | 107.8 | 1.7% lower in A |
| Healthcare index | 105.8 | 108.2 | 2.3% 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 Modesto, you'd need $103,639 in Sacramento to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Modesto, CA is about 3.5% cheaper overall than Sacramento, CA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 6% lower in Modesto than in Sacramento. If you earn $80,000 in Modesto, you'd need about $82,911 in Sacramento to keep the same standard of living.