Overall
106.7
+6.7 above avg
Metro cost profile · 2024 BEA RPP
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
Cost-of-living indicators for Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA, from Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities, overall, goods, services, and rents vs the U.S. average of 100.
- 106.7
- Overall RPP
- #22
- of 387 metros
- 130.2
- Rents RPP
- $94K
- $100K national buys
Sacramento ranks #22 of 387 U.S. metros by cost, and its overall price index has risen 5.4 points since 2008.
- rising since 2008
- similar cost to Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury
The verdict
Sacramento is more expensive than 94% of U.S. metros, an overall cost index of 106.7, 6.7% above the national average, led by services at 151.3.
- top 6%
- by overall cost, nationwide
- 105.2
- goods RPP, tradable items
- 151.3
- services RPP, labor-priced
- $88K
- local median income, national buying power
A $100,000 national salary carries the purchasing power of about $93,747 here; matching a $100K lifestyle takes roughly $106,670.
What the Numbers Mean for Sacramento
Sacramento ranks #22 of 387 U.S. metro areas measured by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, placing it in the upper 25% by overall cost. With an overall Regional Price Parity of 106.7, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA is 6.7% more expensive than the national baseline of 100. The gap between Sacramento's most and least expensive categories - services at 151.3 versus goods at 105.2 - is what drives the household budget experience on the ground, not the single headline number.
Translated into dollars, a nationally-benchmarked $100,000 salary carries the purchasing power of $93,747 inside Sacramento, while a household needs roughly $106,670 here to match a $100K lifestyle elsewhere. Rents carry the biggest swing in the BEA formula and are indexed at 130.2 - 30.2% above the national average, so anyone weighing a move or a remote-work arbitrage should treat the housing line as the single largest variable in the equation.
Looking at the 2008-2024 trajectory, Sacramento's overall index has risen by 5.4 points, signaling tightening affordability. For the 2024 data year, goods are indexed at 105.2 and services at 151.3, meaning everyday spending in Sacramento is governed more by the services and rent mix than by retail goods prices. Readers comparing multiple destinations should always pair the RPP headline with local wage data and housing costs before drawing relocation conclusions.
Sacramento vs every U.S. metro
Where this metro sits in the national cost distribution
107 Top 6% higher than 94% of 387 US metros
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities · 2024
Sacramento cost breakdown
BEA RPP by category, 100 = national average
- Rents
Rents
130.2 RPP
- Services
Services
151.3 RPP
- Overall
Overall
106.7 RPP
- Goods
Goods
105.2 RPP
What this shows Sacramento's gap from the national average is led by services at 151.3. Goods barely move between metros; the spread you feel is housing and services.
Goods vs. housing, where Sacramento's cost comes from
Metros near Sacramento's overall cost, plotted by their goods price (horizontal) and housing price (vertical). Same headline RPP, very different structures.
Crosshairs sit at the group median (goods 101.4, rents 134.2). Sacramento is skewed toward everyday-goods costs relative to its peer group. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Price Index Summary
Goods
105.2
+5.2 above avg
Services
151.3
+51.3 above avg
Rents
130.2
+30.2 above avg
Salary Equivalent
A $100,000 salary at the national average cost of living equals:
$106,670
in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA purchasing power
$50,000 nationally
$53,335
$75,000 nationally
$80,003
$125,000 nationally
$133,338
$150,000 nationally
$160,005
$200,000 nationally
$213,340
Use the salary calculator for custom amounts.
RPP History (2008-2024)
The cost of living has been trending upward, increasing by 5.4 points over this period. The largest single-year move was in 2018, when the index jumped 5.3 points from the year before.
Sacramento overall RPP, 2008-2024
Every year on record, national average = 100
| Year | Overall |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 101.3 |
| 2009 | 105.2 |
| 2010 | 102.8 |
| 2011 | 104.9 |
| 2012 | 104.9 |
| 2013 | 103.3 |
| 2014 | 103.1 |
| 2015 | 101.2 |
| 2016 | 101.1 |
| 2017 | 103.6 |
| 2018 | 108.9 |
| 2019 | 107.4 |
| 2020 | 107.0 |
| 2021 | 106.3 |
| 2022 | 109.9 |
| 2023 | 109.1 |
| 2024 | 106.7 |
Metros with Similar Cost of Living
These metros have an overall RPP closest to Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA's index of 106.7.
Other CA Metros
What this means for Sacramento
How to read Sacramento's cost of living before a move, a job offer, or a budget.
- Budget to local prices, not headline pay, a $100K national salary spends like about $93,747 in Sacramento. Salary calculator
- Weigh housing heaviest: rents here index at 130.2 (30.2% above average) - the single largest swing in the RPP, while goods barely move between metros.
- Local median household income is $93,986; adjusted for Sacramento's price level that is about $88,109 in national-average buying power.
- Compare Sacramento head-to-head against a specific destination before you decide. Compare metros
RPP is BEA's annual price-level benchmark for the data year shown, not a live market quote. Pair it with current local wages and housing costs before deciding.
Compare to Other Metros
Cost of Living Guides
Cheapest Metros to Live in 2026
Official BEA data on the most affordable areas
Most Expensive Cities: 2026 Rankings
What drives high costs and how to cope
Salary Negotiation Using RPP Data
Calculate real purchasing power for negotiations
Comparing Metro Areas
Step-by-step BEA RPP comparison walkthrough
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the cost of living in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA? ▼
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) index of 106.7, meaning it is 6.7% more expensive than the national average. Goods are indexed at 105.2, services at 151.3, and rents at 130.2. It ranks #22 out of 387 U.S. metro areas by overall cost.
What salary do I need in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA to match $100K nationally? ▼
To maintain the same purchasing power as a $100,000 salary at the national average, you would need approximately $106,670 in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA. Conversely, $100K earned in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA has the purchasing power of $93,747 at the national average.
How expensive is rent in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA? ▼
Rents in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA are indexed at 130.2, which is 30.2% above the national average. This is significantly higher than typical U.S. rents.
Is Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA getting more expensive? ▼
From 2008 to 2024, Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA's overall cost index changed by +5.4 points (from 101.3 to 106.7). The cost of living has been trending upward.
What costs the most in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA? ▼
The priciest category in Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA is services at 151.3, 51.3% above the national average. The most affordable category is goods at 105.2, 5.2% above average, still the lowest of the three categories.
What metros have a similar cost of living to Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA? ▼
Metros with the most similar overall cost index include Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, Denver-Aurora-Centennial. These areas have RPP values within a few points of Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA's 106.7.
Source: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by Metropolitan Statistical Area (2024). Index where national average = 100.
Related
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCost Editorial
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Federal data behind these figures
- BEA Regional Price Parities (RPP) - the cost-of-living indices shown on this page. bea.gov/data/regional-price-parities
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) - the gross-rent observations BEA uses to build the rents component. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI) - the price program underlying BEA's goods and services price relatives. bls.gov/cpi
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) - wage reference for the labor-driven services component. bls.gov/oes
- HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - federal 40th-percentile rent cross-reference for the housing component. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
Every figure on PlainCost is rendered directly from BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on BEA Regional Price Parity source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, our changelog, or report a data error. Data current as of 2026-05-15. Rankings measure the published cost-of-living index only; we don't recommend where to live or rate any metro's quality of life.