Aurora, CO vs Sacramento, CA: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

Sacramento, CA has a modeled overall cost index 6.4% higher than Aurora, CO.

Aurora, CO · modeled 2BR rent: $2,140 / month
Sacramento, CA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,180 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Aurora, CO and Sacramento, CA using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Aurora, CO

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated extra cost: $378/month in Sacramento, CA

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $154,537 in Sacramento, CA

Regional cost estimates: Aurora, CO uses Denver, CO. Sacramento, CA uses Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA Metropolitan Area. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↑ 6.4%

More expensive

Monthly Impact

$378

Extra cost

Annual Impact

$4.5K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Aurora, CO

Population:395K

Cost Index:

110.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$431K

Sacramento, CA

Population:525K

Cost Index:

117.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$460K

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Aurora, CO

The Centennial State

395K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Colorado, this city has a population of 395K residents.

Sacramento, CA

The Golden State

525K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in California, this city has a population of 525K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Aurora, CO vs Sacramento, CA

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Aurora, CO	Sacramento, CA	Difference	Change
Housing	$2,812/mo	$3,172/mo	↑ $360more	12.8%
Transportation	$1,265/mo	$1,230/mo	↓ $35.47less	2.8%
Other	$1,536/mo	$1,565/mo	↑ $28.98more	1.9%
Groceries	$891/mo	$917/mo	↑ $25.95more	2.9%
Healthcare	$547/mo	$536/mo	↓ $10.73less	2.0%
All Utilities	$449/mo	$459/mo	↑ $9.46more	2.1%

Housing

↑ 12.8%

Aurora, CO

$2,812

Sacramento, CA

$3,172

Difference

$360

Transportation

↓ 2.8%

Aurora, CO

$1,265

Sacramento, CA

$1,230

Difference

$35.47

less

Other

↑ 1.9%

Aurora, CO

$1,536

Sacramento, CA

$1,565

Difference

$28.98

Groceries

↑ 2.9%

Aurora, CO

$891

Sacramento, CA

$917

Difference

$25.95

Healthcare

↓ 2.0%

Aurora, CO

$547

Sacramento, CA

$536

Difference

$10.73

less

All Utilities

↑ 2.1%

Aurora, CO

$449

Sacramento, CA

$459

Difference

$9.46

🏛️ Local Income Taxes

Aurora, CO: Aurora Head Tax ($2/mo, negligible)$24.00/yr (0.0%)

Sacramento, CA has no local income tax recorded in this dataset.

Local taxes are shown separately and are not included in the living-cost totals. Coverage is incomplete; an absent entry does not establish that no tax applies.

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,685

To$1,690

↑ $5.00

1 Bed

From$1,795

To$1,770

↓ $25.00

2 Bed

From$2,140

To$2,180

↑ $40.00

3 Bed

From$2,805

To$2,900

↑ $95.00

Aurora, COZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,620–$2,270/mo

Sacramento, CAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,320–$2,310/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Aurora, CO

$7,878

Monthly in Sacramento, CA

$378

Difference

Home Values

Aurora

Sacramento

$431K

Median Value

$460K

↓ -4.2%

YoY Change

↓ -2.7%

↑ +18.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +18.2%

$353K - $728K

Price Range

$352K - $969K

Homes in Sacramento are 7% more expensive than Aurora

Calculate payment - Aurora Calculate payment - Sacramento

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $4.0K

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$336

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

2.7%

Rate difference

Aurora, CO

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Colorado State Tax

Effective: 4.4%

$6.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.1%

$43.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,866/month

$106.4K

Sacramento, CA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

California State Tax

Effective: 7.1%

$10.6K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 31.8%

$47.6K

Take-Home Pay

$8,530/month

$102.4K

Additional Tax Information

Aurora, CO Tax Rates

Sales Tax:7.8%

Property Tax:0.5%

Sacramento, CA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:10.5%

Property Tax:0.8%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Aurora

Sacramento

55 Moderate

Air Quality

51 Moderate

35.2%

Good Air Days

49.7%

95 High

Climate Risk

98 High

🌊🌪💨

Top Hazards

🌊☀🫨

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

69 days

▲+3.3°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.4°F

28 days

Heat Days >95°F

69 days

Before moving from Aurora, CO to Sacramento, CA

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in Sacramento, CA for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Aurora, CO. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Aurora to Sacramento moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to Sacramento, CA by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Aurora, CO vs Sacramento, CA

How do the cost estimates for Aurora, CO and Sacramento, CA compare?

Sacramento, CA has a modeled overall cost index 6.4% higher than Aurora, CO. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Aurora, CO, the model estimates $154,537 in Sacramento, CA. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Aurora, CO and Sacramento, CA?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,140/month in Aurora, CO and $2,180/month in Sacramento, CA. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Colorado and California on TaxTakeHome.com