Popular cities
Los Angeles vs Sacramento cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐บ๐ธ Los Angeles
๐บ๐ธ Sacramento
At a glance
- Where Sacramento is clearly cheaper: Entry ticket (57%โ), Hotel night (25%โ), Taxi (22%โ)
- Where Los Angeles is clearly cheaper: Transit (30%โ), Laundry (20%โ), Street food (15%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Sacramento is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.0). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Los Angeles 2 vs Sacramento 1. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Los Angeles | Sacramento | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | $ 18$18 | $ 20$20 | Los Angeles โ10% |
| Street food1 item | $ 11$11 | $ 13$13 | Los Angeles โ15% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | $ 48$48 | $ 40$40 | Sacramento โ17% |
| Coffeeone cup | $ 5.5$5.5 | $ 6$6 | Los Angeles โ8% |
| Beerone bottle | $ 9$9 | $ 8$8 | Sacramento โ11% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | $ 17$17 | $ 14$14 | Sacramento โ18% |
| Bottled water | $ 2$2 | $ 2$2 | similar |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | $ 3$3 | $ 2.9$2.9 | similar |
| Taxi5 km in town | $ 18$18 | $ 14$14 | Sacramento โ22% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | $ 10$10 | $ 9$9 | Sacramento โ10% |
| Transitone ride | $ 1.75$1.75 | $ 2.5$2.5 | Los Angeles โ30% |
| Scooter rentalper day | $ 35$35 | $ 40$40 | Los Angeles โ12% |
| Hotel night3-star | $ 200$200 | $ 150$150 | Sacramento โ25% |
| Studio rent (month) | $ 2,100$2,100 | $ 1,700$1,700 | Sacramento โ19% |
| Laundry | $ 4$4 | $ 5$5 | Los Angeles โ20% |
| SIM card1 week data | $ 26$26 | $ 25$25 | similar |
| Haircutcut | $ 30$30 | $ 28$28 | Sacramento โ7% |
| Massage1 hour | $ 75$75 | $ 70$70 | Sacramento โ7% |
| Half-day tourper person | $ 75$75 | $ 60$60 | Sacramento โ20% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | $ 28$28 | $ 12$12 | Sacramento โ57% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Los Angeles or Sacramento?
Sacramento is 16% cheaper than Los Angeles. Daily budget $368 vs $301; a month $7,222 vs $6,247.
Which is easier to travel, Los Angeles or Sacramento?
Sacramento is easier: Sacramento 1.6/5 vs Los Angeles 2.0/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Los Angeles and Sacramento?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Los Angeles is about $7,222 and Sacramento about $6,247 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.