Nampa vs Sacramento
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026 Data
Nampa
Sacramento
💡 The Verdict
Nampa is 27% cheaper than Sacramento overall. A $75,000 salary in Nampa is equivalent to $102,128 in Sacramento.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values for Nampa (left) vs Sacramento (right). National average = 100.
Detailed Price Comparison
Estimated item-level prices in Nampa versus Sacramento. Differences shown from Nampa perspective.
| Item | Nampa | Sacramento | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-Bed Rent | $940/mo | $1,260/mo | $-320.00 |
| 2-Bed Rent | $1,340/mo | $1,700/mo | $-360.00 |
| 3-Bed Rent | $1,750/mo | $2,230/mo | $-480.00 |
| Bread (loaf) | $2.23 | $3.03 | $-0.80 |
| Milk (gallon) | $3.37 | $3.90 | $-0.53 |
| Eggs (dozen) | $2.85 | $3.22 | $-0.37 |
| Coffee (latte) | $5.26 | $5.98 | $-0.72 |
| Gas (gallon) | $2.89 | $3.55 | $-0.66 |
| Restaurant Meal | $16.33 | $20.36 | $-4.03 |
💰 Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Nampa has the same purchasing power as $102,128 in Sacramento.
Conversely, $75,000 in Sacramento equals $55,078 in Nampa.
💼 Take-Home Pay Comparison
Estimated annual take-home pay on a $75,000 salary after federal, FICA, and state income taxes.
The $300 difference is driven by California having a higher state income tax rate. Idaho details → · California details →
Reading These Numbers: Nampa (94) vs Sacramento (128)
Nampa at 94 is 6% below the US average, while Sacramento at 128 is 28% above average. There is a meaningful cost gap between these two cities that affects day-to-day budgeting.
In Nampa, the composite index of 94 reflects a weighted calculation where housing carries the most influence at 90, followed by groceries (85), utilities (94), transportation (89), and healthcare (87). Costs are fairly balanced across categories.
For renters: With median rents of $1,340/mo in Nampa and $1,700/mo in Sacramento, the annual rent difference is approximately $4,320.0. Over a 5-year period, that compounds to $21,600.0 in savings by choosing the more affordable city.
For homebuyers: The $185,000.0 difference in median home prices between Nampa and Sacramento translates to meaningful differences in mortgage payments at current rates. Factor this into your budget alongside property taxes and insurance, which also vary by location.
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Making Your Decision: Nampa vs Sacramento
Choosing between Nampa and Sacramento involves more than just comparing index numbers. Consider how each category aligns with your personal spending patterns. If you work from home, transportation costs matter less than housing and utilities. If you eat out frequently, the groceries index may understate your actual food spending — look at the restaurant meal prices in the detailed comparison table above instead.
The cost gap between Nampa and Sacramento reflects thousands of individual pricing differences across housing markets, grocery chains, utility providers, and healthcare networks. No two households experience the same effective cost of living even in the same city, which is why the category breakdown matters more than the headline number. Adjust the lifestyle weighting sliders above to see how your spending priorities shift the comparison between these specific metros.