Sacramento vs Fresno
Sacramento, CA · Fresno, CA
Fresno is 18% cheaper than Sacramento overall.
Home Price
Sacramento: $480,000
Fresno: $345,000
Monthly Rent
Sacramento: $1,450/mo
Fresno: $1,273/mo
COL Index
Sacramento: 126
Fresno: 103
Median Income
Sacramento: $78,600
Fresno: $56,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Sacramento has the same purchasing power as $81,746 in Fresno — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Homes in Fresno cost 28% more (-$135,000 extra). Expect a larger mortgage and down payment.
Renting
Renting in Fresno saves you $177/month — $2,124 per year. Median rent: $1,450/mo in Sacramento vs $1,273/mo in Fresno.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Sacramento owners pay roughly $3,504/year in property taxes vs $2,588/year in Fresno. Rates are comparable.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $78,600 in Sacramento and $56,600 in Fresno. Fresno residents earn 28% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 28 minutes in Sacramento vs 24 minutes in Fresno. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Sacramento to Fresno, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Sacramento | Equivalent in Fresno | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $40,873 | -$9,127 |
| $75,000 | $61,310 | -$13,690 |
| $100,000 | $81,746 | -$18,254 |
| $150,000 | $122,619 | -$27,381 |
| $200,000 | $163,492 | -$36,508 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
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Property Tax Calculator
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Sacramento Calculators
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Related Comparisons
Sacramento vs Fresno: Common Questions
Is Sacramento or Fresno cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Fresno is cheaper overall. Sacramento has a COL index of 126 while Fresno scores 103 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Sacramento and Fresno?
The median home price in Sacramento is $480,000 vs $345,000 in Fresno — a difference of $135,000 (28%).
What salary do I need in Fresno to match my Sacramento income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Sacramento is equivalent to $81,746 in Fresno in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Sacramento has a lower property tax rate (0.73% vs 0.75%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $2,588/year vs $3,504/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.