

Chico vs Redding
$370/mo more in Redding
ChicoReddingAbout 79 miles apart, close enough to drive.
- Redding leaves you more
- Rent under 30% of pay
- 222 sunny days
Same paycheck, two cities. $2,028/mo in Redding. $1,658/mo in Chico. +$4,440 a year.
Chico
$1,658
left each month
Redding
$2,028
+$370 vs Chico
Compare
Same paycheck, another city.
Next
In 2022-2023, 159 households moved Chico → Redding (avg AGI $67,855). 172 went the other way. The whole move →
+$370 / mo
See full breakdown
| Per month | Chico | Redding | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | $6,500 | $7,075 | +$575 |
| Income and payroll tax | $1,502 | $1,726 | +$224 |
| Take-home pay | $4,998 | $5,349 | +$351 |
| Rent | $1,174 | $1,105 | −$69 |
| Getting around | $596 | $646 | +$50 |
| Groceries | $433 | $433 | $0 |
| Healthcare | $487 | $487 | $0 |
| Utilities | $271 | $271 | $0 |
| Everything else | $379 | $379 | $0 |
| Left over | $1,658 | $2,028 | +$370 |
Salary to match Chico
$77,500
Gross pay in Redding that leaves the same amount as $78,000 in Chico.
Tax difference
−$642
A year, in state and local income tax. Effective rates: 23.1% in Chico, 24.4% in Redding.
More about Redding
Chico, CA in full
State income tax topping out at 12.3%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,398 and 233 sunny days; commutes average 21 minutes.
Redding, CA in full
State income tax topping out at 12.3%, a median 2-bedroom asking rent of $1,315 and 222 sunny days; commutes average 20 minutes.
The other way
Start in Redding.
Redding → Chico →Questions
Is the cost of living lower in Redding than Chico?
For one adult in a one-bedroom, Redding leaves about $370 more a month. A one-bedroom is about $1,174 in Chico and $1,105 in Redding.
Does Redding have state income tax?
Redding is in California, which taxes wage income.
What changes if you move from Chico to Redding?
The paycheck is taxed in California. Rent stays at the same bedroom count. What you keep is the difference.
Left over each month is take-home pay minus rent and the rest of the bills. The gap between Chico and Redding changes with the job, remote or local pay, and bedrooms. How we figure this · Leftover vs a COL index · Why a cheaper COL% can still lose leftover.
Estimate, not a quote. How we figure this.