FL → CA · The City Beautiful to Sac

Moving from Orlando to Sacramento?

Orlando to Sacramento — FL 0% to CA 13.3% costs $13,300/yr, housing 43% pricier — Disney → CA state govt + UC Davis Med.

2,540 mi Distance
38 hr Drive time
-43% lower Home prices
$-13,300/yr Tax savings on $100K

The Story

Orlando-to-Sac is Disney → CA state govt move. FL 0% → CA 13.3% costs $13,300/yr (huge). Housing 43% MORE, COL 22% higher. Pull: California state capital, Intel Folsom, UC Davis Medicine, Tahoe 90 min, Mediterranean climate. Disney Imagineering Orlando → Disney Burbank (drive 1.5hr from Sac) bridge.

Why This Move

Why people move from Orlando to Sacramento.

California state capital — CA government careers
Intel Folsom + chip industry
UC Davis Medicine + Sutter Health
Disney Imagineering Orlando → Disney Burbank LA (1.5hr drive from Sac)
Tahoe 90 min — ski access
Mediterranean climate (50-90°F year-round)
Wine country (Napa/Sonoma) 90 min
Kings sports + River Cats

Cost Comparison

The money side of FL → CA.

Orlando

Median home$370,000
Income tax0% (FL)
Cost index99

Sacramento

Median home$530,000
Income tax13.3% (CA top)
Cost index121

What to Do in Sacramento

Things you'll want to know about your new city.

Bookmark this page — these are the icons of Sacramento, organized by what kind of day you're planning.

Outdoors & Recreation

American River Parkway — 23 miles of trail along American River
Lake Tahoe (90 min east) — Skiing, lake activities, alpine resort
Napa / Sonoma (90 min west) — World-class wine country

Culture & Arts

California State Capitol — Free tours, Capitol Park grounds
Old Sacramento — Historic riverfront with wood-plank sidewalks; California State Railroad Museum
Crocker Art Museum — Oldest public art museum west of the Mississippi (1885)
Sutter's Fort State Historic Park — 1839 trading post; Gold Rush era origin
California Museum — California history; California Hall of Fame

Family-Friendly

Sacramento Zoo — 14-acre zoo in Land Park
Fairytale Town — Children's storybook park

Where to Eat

Sacramento's essential restaurants.

The dining list every Sacramento resident knows by heart. Save the spots, work through them.

The Kitchen Tasting menu Pavilions

Sacramento's elevated tasting institution
Mulvaney's B&L American farm-to-table Midtown

Patrick Mulvaney's longstanding spot
Allora Italian East Sacramento

Modern Italian, neighborhood favorite
Localis American tasting East Sacramento

Chef-driven tasting
Ella Dining Room American Downtown

Selland family; airy elegant space
Beast and Bounty Vegetarian + meats R Street Corridor

Plant-forward menu
Magpie Cafe Farm-to-table Midtown

Lunch counter and dinner; Selland family
Tower Cafe Eclectic global Land Park

Iconic 1990 institution

Where to Live

Best Sacramento neighborhoods for Orlando transplants.

Mapped to the Orlando neighborhoods that probably feel like home to you.

Midtown SAC

If Thornton Park was your scene — walkable urban, restaurants
East Sac

If Winter Park was your goal — leafy historic, walkable
Land Park

If you wanted parks — historic, family
Roseville (suburb)

If Lake Nona was your model — top schools, master-planned
Folsom (suburb)

If you wanted tech-adjacent — Intel Folsom, top schools
Davis (suburb)

If you wanted university — UC Davis, walkable, bike-friendly

Climate & Walkability

What daily life feels like in Sacramento.

Climate

Mediterranean / Inland California. Hot dry summers (60-95°F+, June-Sept). Mild wet winters (38-58°F). Spring is glorious; fall is comfortable. 269 sun days/year. Tule fog winter mornings.

Summer60-94°F
Winter38-57°F
Sun days/yr269
Rainfall19 inches

Walkability

Walk Score47/100
Transit Score35/100
Bike Score70/100

Sacramento is car-dependent — most errands require driving.

Outdoors & Recreation

American River Parkway — 23 miles of trails through metro
Lake Tahoe (90 min east) — skiing winter, swimming summer
Folsom Lake — boating, biking
Napa/Sonoma wine country (90 min west)
Sierra Nevada — Yosemite (3 hrs SE), Lassen Volcanic NP (2 hrs N)
Sacramento River / Delta — boating, fishing

Reality Check

What changes about your daily life.

FL 0% becomes CA 13.3% — costs $13,300/year on $100K (huge)
Housing 43% MORE expensive — $370K Orlando becomes $530K Sac
COL 22% higher
Climate flips humid subtropical to Mediterranean (perfect)
Property tax CA 0.7% (Prop 13) lower than FL 0.9%
Light rail + walkable urban
Orlando Disney → Sac/Disney Burbank bridge
Sports — gain Kings, lose Magic

Driving Routes

How to drive there.

I-10 W to I-5 N

2,540 miles via Houston, El Paso, LA. 38 hours / 4-5 days.

Move Logistics

What it takes to move 2,540 miles.

Full-service (3BR)$8,800-$15,500
Container/PODS$6,200-$9,500
DIY (26-ft truck)$4,800-$8,000
Best monthsApr-Oct
Lead time12-14 weeks ahead

USDOT-registered.

Common Questions