Living Cost Compare
Naperville

Illinois

$1,830/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 $1,830 in Naperville, IL versus $1,740 in Sacramento, CA. Overall, Sacramento, CA is roughly 5% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Naperville, IL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $150,937 in Naperville, IL and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA — about 45% higher in Naperville, IL. Illinois has a top state income tax rate of 4.95% 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.

Naperville, IL
Sacramento, CA

Rent

Studio
$1,713
$1,259
+27% in Naperville, IL
1 Bedroom
$1,594
$1,418
+11% in Naperville, IL
2 Bedroom
$1,889
$1,742
+8% in Naperville, IL
3 Bedroom
$2,446
$1,973
+19% in Naperville, IL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$509,900
$484,600
+5% in Naperville, IL

Income

Median Household Income
$150,937
$83,753
+45% in Naperville, IL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$54,720
$59,750
+9% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
40.1 yr
35.7 yr
+4.4 yr in Naperville, IL
Homeownership
74.3%
51.5%
+22.8 pp in Naperville, IL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
71.7%
36.4%
+35.3 pp in Naperville, IL
Avg Commute
31.4 min
25.6 min
+5.8 min in Naperville, IL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
85.7
756.6
+783% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
892.2
2,615.3
+193% in Sacramento, CA

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
49.9°F
61.0°F
+11.1°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
36.9 in
18.5 in
+18.4 in in Naperville, IL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$5.40/gal
+37% in Sacramento, CA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$2.50

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
23.9
33.3
+39% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$15.39
$20.72
+35% in Sacramento, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.82
+12% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$2.04
+23% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.19
+40% in Naperville, IL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$7.36
+9% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$2.01
+4% in Naperville, IL
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Sacramento, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (IL / CA)
6.25%
7.25%
+1.0 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.95%
13.30%
+8.4 pp in CA

Naperville vs Sacramento — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Naperville or Sacramento?
Sacramento, CA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,740 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 5% below Naperville, IL's $1,830, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Naperville than in Sacramento?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $64,000 a year in Naperville versus $57,000 in Sacramento.
Which has lower taxes, Naperville or Sacramento?
Naperville is taxed under Illinois's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.95% 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).