Living Cost Compare
Cambridge

Massachusetts

$2,810/mo est.

vs
Sacramento

California

$1,760/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $2,810 in Cambridge, MA versus $1,760 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Sacramento, CA is roughly 37% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cambridge, MA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $126,469 in Cambridge, MA and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA — about 34% higher in Cambridge, MA. Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Cambridge, MA
Sacramento, CA

Rent

Studio
$2,236
$1,259
+44% in Cambridge, MA
1 Bedroom
$2,496
$1,418
+43% in Cambridge, MA
2 Bedroom
$2,980
$1,742
+42% in Cambridge, MA
3 Bedroom
$3,325
$1,973
+41% in Cambridge, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$1,040,500
$484,600
+53% in Cambridge, MA

Income

Median Household Income
$126,469
$83,753
+34% in Cambridge, MA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$66,620
$59,750
+10% in Cambridge, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
30.5 yr
35.7 yr
+5.2 yr in Sacramento, CA
Homeownership
33.7%
51.5%
+17.8 pp in Sacramento, CA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
80.2%
36.4%
+43.8 pp in Cambridge, MA
Avg Commute
26.1 min
25.6 min
+0.5 min in Cambridge, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
436.7
756.6
+73% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
2,657.6
2,615.3
+2% in Cambridge, MA

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
51.5°F
61.0°F
+9.5°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
43.8 in
18.5 in
+25.3 in in Cambridge, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.07/gal
$5.52/gal
+36% in Sacramento, CA

Area: Massachusetts vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

Adult base one-way fare — — vs SacRT (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
29.6
34.7
+17% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.66
$20.33
+34% in Cambridge, MA

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$2.04
+6% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$7.36
+7% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$2.01
+8% in Cambridge, MA
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.70
about equal

Average prices — Northeast vs West (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MA / CA)
6.25%
7.25%
+1.0 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
9.00%
13.30%
+4.3 pp in CA

Cambridge vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cambridge or Sacramento?
Sacramento, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,760 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 37% below Cambridge, MA's $2,810, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cambridge than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $100,000 a year in Cambridge versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Cambridge or Sacramento?
Cambridge is taxed under Massachusetts's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax); Sacramento under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).