Living Cost Compare
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

vs
St. Paul

Minnesota

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,740 in Sacramento, CA versus $1,300 in St. Paul, MN. Overall, St. Paul, MN is roughly 25% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,753 in Sacramento, CA and $73,055 in St. Paul, MN — about 13% higher in Sacramento, CA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax.

Sacramento, CA
St. Paul, MN

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$995
+21% in Sacramento, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,418
$1,126
+21% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,742
$1,384
+21% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,973
$1,662
+16% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$484,600
$280,300
+42% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,753
$73,055
+13% in Sacramento, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,750
$59,320
+1% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.7 yr
33.5 yr
+2.2 yr in Sacramento, CA
Homeownership
51.5%
53.2%
+1.7 pp in St. Paul, MN
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.4%
43.5%
+7.1 pp in St. Paul, MN
Avg Commute
25.6 min
22.3 min
+3.3 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
756.6
619
+18% in Sacramento, CA
Property Crime
2,615.3
2,897.2
+11% in St. Paul, MN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
61.0°F
47.1°F
+13.9°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
18.5 in
28.5 in
+10.0 in in St. Paul, MN

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.40/gal
$3.95/gal
+27% in Sacramento, CA

Area: California vs Minnesota.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.3
16.9
+49% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$14.95
+28% in Sacramento, CA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.66
+19% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$3.63
+66% in St. Paul, MN
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.77
+8% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$2.10
+4% in St. Paul, MN
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Sacramento, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / MN)
7.25%
6.875%
+0.4 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
9.85%
+3.5 pp in CA

Sacramento vs St. Paul — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Sacramento or St. Paul?
St. Paul, MN is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 25% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Sacramento than in St. Paul?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Sacramento versus $45,000 in St. Paul.
Which has lower taxes, Sacramento or St. Paul?
Sacramento is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); St. Paul under Minnesota's (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).