Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Auburn, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Auburn, CA: $3,212 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $7,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

156

Cost of Living Index in Auburn, CA
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Auburn, CA Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,212

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Auburn, CA and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Auburn, CA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,212 per month in Auburn, CA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Auburn, CA $3,212
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $4,620 per month in Auburn, CA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Auburn, CA $4,620
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $6,027 per month in Auburn, CA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Auburn, CA $6,027
Seattle, WA $7,603

Auburn, CA is about 15% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Auburn, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Auburn, CA by 138%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.25 $25.25

$25.32 $25.32

-0.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$90.7 $90.7

$101 $101

-10.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.92 $11.92

$14.85 $14.85

-19.73%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$6.59 $6.59

-25.49%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$3.22 $3.22

-21.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.14 $3.14

-24.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.86 $4.86

$8.18 $8.18

-40.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.11 $7.11

$8.03 $8.03

-11.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.21 $1.21

1.65%

White Bread (500g)

$4.52 $4.52

$5.12 $5.12

-11.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.30 $6.30

30.32%

Eggs

$3.17 $3.17

$4.90 $4.90

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.79 $25.79

$19.10 $19.10

35.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.58 $18.58

$18.50 $18.50

0.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.00 $23.00

$23.03 $23.03

-0.13%

Apples (1kg)

$7.72 $7.72

$5.81 $5.81

32.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.95 $1.95

-12.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.51 $8.51

$5.29 $5.29

60.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$6.48 $6.48

4.63%

Potato (1kg)

$5.10 $5.10

$3.57 $3.57

42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$3.06 $3.06

$3.15 $3.15

-2.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.85 $2.85

-29.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.27 $2.27

$2.42 $2.42

-6.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$12.75 $12.75

-8.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$14.99 $14.99

1.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 $1.46

$4.17 $4.17

-64.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 $2.02

$5.99 $5.99

-66.28%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.40 $3.40

$3.04 $3.04

11.84%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.2 $88.2

$110 $110

-19.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.26 $3.26

$2.55 $2.55

27.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.43 $2.43

$1.64 $1.64

48.17%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.49 $40.49

$29.58 $29.58

36.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.42 $1.42

-14.08%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$32.8K $32.8K

$35.7K $35.7K

-8.16%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$24.5K $24.5K

$25.6K $25.6K

-4.16%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$189 $189

$299 $299

-36.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$49.79 $49.79

$70.8 $70.8

-29.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$88.3 $88.3

-24.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.4 $64.4

$79.5 $79.5

-18.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$15.10 $15.10

$17.12 $17.12

-11.80%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$2,686 $2,686

$3,013 $3,013

-10.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,939 $5,939

$31.6K $31.6K

-81.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.7 $68.7

$77.2 $77.2

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.74 $46.74

$55.1 $55.1

-15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$110 $110

$126 $126

-12.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$199 $199

$163 $163

22.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,823 $1,823

$2,464 $2,464

-26.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,591 $1,591

$1,956 $1,956

-18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 $2,784

$4,711 $4,711

-40.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,344 $2,344

$3,550 $3,550

-33.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,277 $3,277

$7,346 $7,346

-55.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,675 $2,675

$5,048 $5,048

-47.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,926 $3,926

$6,286 $6,286

-37.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.77

6.85

-1.17%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Auburn, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Auburn, CA

$1.6K 49.5%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 22.9% $365

Groceries & Markets

Auburn, CA

$558 17.4%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 2.9% $16

Eating Out

Auburn, CA

$355 11%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 15.2% $54

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Auburn, CA

$305 9.5%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 50% $153

Clothing & Footwear

Auburn, CA

$191 6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 0.9% $1.8

Getting Around

Auburn, CA

$117 3.7%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 13.5% $16

Sport & Entertainment

Auburn, CA

$95 3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 20.2% $19

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,823 in Auburn, CA versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 60% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $91.0 in Auburn, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $558 in Auburn, CA vs $542 in Seattle, WA – so Seattle, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Auburn, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

14:29 2:29 PM

Same time as Auburn, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

76,143

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Auburn, CA Seattle, WA 970 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Auburn, CA
Seattle, WA

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Auburn, CA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,212 in Auburn, CA, $3,800 in Seattle, WA – roughly 18% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,818 per month in Auburn, CA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Auburn, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $2,686 per month in Auburn, CA and $3,013 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 3% cheaper in Seattle, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,212 in Auburn, CA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,212 in Auburn, CA to $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Auburn, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.