City comparison
Reno, NV vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 5.6% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $105,600 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,489 in Reno, NV. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 23% in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $5,070 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.4% moving from Reno, NV to Sacramento, CA ($106,855 → $117,984), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Reno, NV | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,599 in Sacramento | $94,698 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$5,070/yr.
45 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$5,070/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Reno → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $68,419 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $82,780 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $99,218 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $117,984 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $139,422 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $103,390 | $97,908 (+56.8%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $139,640 | $132,236 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $92,110 | $87,226 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $171,460 | $162,369 (+51.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.