Sacramento vs Winston-Salem
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
Sacramento
Winston-Salem
The Verdict
Winston-Salem is 52.4% less expensive than Sacramento overall. A household earning $75,000 in Sacramento would need approximately $49,219 in Winston-Salem to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in Sacramento has the same purchasing power as $49,219 in Winston-Salem.
Conversely, $75,000 in Winston-Salem equals $114,286 in Sacramento.
Living in Sacramento vs Winston-Salem
Housing Costs
Sacramento's housing index of 163 is higher Winston-Salem's 63, translating to median home prices of $450,000 vs $250,000. The $200,000 difference in home prices means roughly $12,996 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,700/mo in Sacramento compared to $1,050/mo in Winston-Salem, a monthly difference of $650.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 104 in Sacramento and 97 in Winston-Salem. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $494/month in Sacramento vs $461/month in Winston-Salem. Winston-Salem offers a meaningful advantage on everyday food costs, saving roughly $396/year.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 108 in Sacramento and 99 in Winston-Salem. Monthly utility bills average approximately $432 in Sacramento vs $396 in Winston-Salem. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 106 in Sacramento and 103 in Winston-Salem. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $64,660 in Sacramento and $52,600 in Winston-Salem. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $50,516 and $62,619 respectively. Winston-Salem residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,509/month to housing in Sacramento vs $1,227/month in Winston-Salem. In Sacramento, median rent of $1,700/mo exceeds this threshold, suggesting renters may feel stretched. In Winston-Salem, median rent of $1,050/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 100 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases