Living Cost Compare
Sacramento

California

$1,740/mo est.

vs
Tulsa

Oklahoma

$1,020/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 $1,020 in Tulsa, OK. Overall, Tulsa, OK is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Sacramento, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,753 in Sacramento, CA and $58,407 in Tulsa, OK — about 30% higher in Sacramento, CA. California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax; Oklahoma has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% state sales tax.

Sacramento, CA
Tulsa, OK

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$786
+38% in Sacramento, CA
1 Bedroom
$1,418
$847
+40% in Sacramento, CA
2 Bedroom
$1,742
$1,045
+40% in Sacramento, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,973
$1,265
+36% in Sacramento, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$484,600
$189,600
+61% in Sacramento, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$83,753
$58,407
+30% in Sacramento, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,750
$46,670
+22% in Sacramento, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
35.7 yr
35.5 yr
+0.2 yr in Sacramento, CA
Homeownership
51.5%
52.0%
+0.5 pp in Tulsa, OK
Bachelor's+ (25+)
36.4%
33.3%
+3.1 pp in Sacramento, CA
Avg Commute
25.6 min
18.7 min
+6.9 min in Sacramento, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
756.6
948.9
+25% in Tulsa, OK
Property Crime
2,615.3
3,664.6
+40% in Tulsa, OK

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
60.1°F
+0.9°F in Sacramento, CA
Annual Precipitation
18.5 in
43.7 in
+25.2 in in Tulsa, OK

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$5.40/gal
$3.94/gal
+27% in Sacramento, CA

Area: California vs Midwest (PADD 2).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
33.3
13.4
+60% in Sacramento, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.72
$27.15
+31% in Tulsa, OK

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.00
+17% in Sacramento, CA
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.75
+14% in Sacramento, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Tulsa, OK
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.45
+12% in Sacramento, CA
Chicken (lb)
$2.01
$1.90
+6% in Sacramento, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.70
$0.62
+12% in Sacramento, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CA / OK)
7.25%
4.5%
+2.8 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
13.30%
4.50%
+8.8 pp in CA

Sacramento vs Tulsa — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Sacramento or Tulsa?
Tulsa, OK is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Sacramento, CA's $1,740, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Sacramento than in Tulsa?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $57,000 a year in Sacramento versus $34,000 in Tulsa.
Which has lower taxes, Sacramento or Tulsa?
Sacramento is taxed under California's rules (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax); Tulsa under Oklahoma's (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 4.5% 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).