Living Cost Compare
Long Beach

California

$1,960/mo est.

vs
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,960 in Long Beach, CA versus $1,740 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Sacramento, CA is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Long Beach, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,969 in Long Beach, CA and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA. Both cities are in California, so state taxes are identical: a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Long Beach, CA
Sacramento, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,447
$1,259
+13% in Long Beach, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,634
$1,418
+13% in Long Beach, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,979
$1,742
+12% in Long Beach, CA
3 Bedroom
$2,360
$1,973
+16% in Long Beach, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$762,200
$484,600
+36% in Long Beach, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,969
$83,753
+0% in Long Beach, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,850
$59,750
+7% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.8 yr
35.7 yr
+1.1 yr in Long Beach, CA
Homeownership
40.9%
51.5%
+10.6 pp in Sacramento, CA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
34.8%
36.4%
+1.6 pp in Sacramento, CA
Avg Commute
30.0 min
25.6 min
+4.4 min in Long Beach, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
690
757.2
+10% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
3,584.4
2,615.3
+27% in Long Beach, CA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.7°F
61.0°F
+3.7°F in Long Beach, CA
Annual Precipitation
12.3 in
18.5 in
+6.3 in in Sacramento, CA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.89/gal
$5.91/gal
+0% in Sacramento, CA

Area: Los Angeles vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.25
$2.50
+100% in Sacramento, CA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.4
33.4
about equal
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$20.72
about equal

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.37
$4.37
about equal
Bread (lb)
$2.10
$2.10
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.25
$2.25
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.23
$7.23
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$2.14
$2.14
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.74
$0.74
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / CA)
7.25%
7.25%
about equal
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
13.30%
about equal

Long Beach vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Long Beach or Sacramento?
Sacramento, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Long Beach, CA's $1,960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Long Beach than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $65,000 a year in Long Beach versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Long Beach or Sacramento?
Neither — both are in California, so they share the same state tax rates: 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).