USLivingCost Salaries · Rent · Cost of Living

Irvine, CA vs. Sacramento, CA

Median rent is $2,893 a month in Irvine, CA and $1,694 in Sacramento, CA. Household income is $129,647 against $83,753. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.

$
Same standard of living
A salary of $100,000 in Irvine, CA buys what $96,720 buys in Sacramento, CA
-$3,280 less to keep the same standard of living
Median gross rent Monthly
$2,893 $1,694 -41.4%
Median household income Annual
$129,647 $83,753 -35.4%
Median home value Owner-occupied
$1,115,400 $484,600 -56.6%
Rent as share of income Annual rent ÷ income
26.8% 24.3% -2.5 pp
Price level U.S. average = 100
112.6 108.9 -3.3%
Salary needed for median rent Keeps rent at 30% of gross
$115,700 $67,800 -41.4%
Rent median income carries at 30% Affordable rent
$3,241 $2,094 -35.4%
Population City proper
308,160 524,802 +70.3%
Equivalent salary For $100,000 in Irvine
$100,000 $96,720 -3.3%

A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.

What the gap means

Lower rent
$1,694
Sacramento, CA · 70.8% below Irvine, CA
Higher household income
$129,647
Irvine, CA · 54.8% above Sacramento, CA
Same standard of living
$96,720
$100,000 in Irvine, CA needs $96,720 in Sacramento, CA
Price level gap
3.7 points
112.6 in CA against 108.9 in CA
Rent burden gap
2.5 points
Sacramento, CA versus Irvine, CA, share of income taken by rent
Highest buying power
91.8%
Sacramento, CA · share of the national average income that a dollar there buys

Irvine, CA vs Sacramento, CA: frequently asked questions

Is Sacramento, CA more expensive than Irvine, CA?

No. Prices in Sacramento, CA are about 3.3% lower than in Irvine, CA: a regional price level of 108.9 against 112.6, where the U.S. average is 100.

How much do I need to earn in Sacramento, CA to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Irvine, CA?

About $96,700. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (112.6 in Irvine, CA, 108.9 in Sacramento, CA) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.

Is rent cheaper in Irvine, CA or Sacramento, CA?

The median gross rent is $2,893 a month in Irvine, CA and $1,694 in Sacramento, CA, a difference of $1,199 a month or $14,388 a year.

Where are household incomes higher, Irvine, CA or Sacramento, CA?

The median household income is $129,647 in Irvine, CA and $83,753 in Sacramento, CA. Rent takes 26.8% of the median income in Irvine, CA and 24.3% in Sacramento, CA.

What salary do I need to afford the median rent in Sacramento, CA?

About $67,800 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $1,694 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $115,700 in Irvine, CA.

More comparisons with Irvine, CA

More comparisons with Sacramento, CA

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Definitions used on this page

Salary needed for the median rent
Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
Price level
BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
Same standard of living
A salary in Irvine, CA converted into Sacramento, CA at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
Buying power
One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.

Sources

Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.

Full detail for each city: Irvine, CA · Sacramento, CA