Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Bellevue, WA and Alameda, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Bellevue, WA: $3,719 a month against $4,114 in Alameda, CA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

181

Cost of Living Index in Bellevue, WA
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Bellevue, WA Living Index
199

Cost of Living Index in Alameda, CA
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Alameda, CA Living Index

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Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,719

/mo nomad

Alameda, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,114

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Bellevue, WA and in Alameda, CA

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

A single person spends $3,719 per month in Bellevue, WA vs $4,114 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

Bellevue, WA $3,719
Alameda, CA $4,114

A couple spends around $5,673 per month in Bellevue, WA vs $5,985 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

Bellevue, WA $5,673
Alameda, CA $5,985

A family of three spends $7,628 per month in Bellevue, WA vs $7,856 in Alameda, CA, rent included.

Bellevue, WA $7,628
Alameda, CA $7,856

Bellevue, WA is about 10% cheaper than Alameda, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Bellevue, WA and Alameda, CA sit above the global median – Bellevue, WA by 175%, Alameda, CA by 205%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$27.38 $27.38

-7.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

-0.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.04 $13.04

$15.02 $15.02

-13.18%

Cappuccino

$5.82 $5.82

$5.80 $5.80

0.34%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.08 $3.08

4.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.71 $2.71

-3.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.07 $8.07

$8.84 $8.84

-8.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.08 $8.08

$10.05 $10.05

-19.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.26 $1.26

-12.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.86 $4.86

$3.76 $3.76

29.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.00 $6.00

$4.92 $4.92

21.95%

Eggs

$5.55 $5.55

$4.87 $4.87

13.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.32 $16.32

$10.95 $10.95

49.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.78 $15.78

$15.70 $15.70

0.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.03 $23.03

$22.88 $22.88

0.66%

Apples (1kg)

$5.59 $5.59

$6.00 $6.00

-6.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.95 $2.95

-36.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.29 $5.29

$4.50 $4.50

17.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 $4.53

$6.82 $6.82

-33.58%

Potato (1kg)

$2.64 $2.64

$3.00 $3.00

-12.00%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.26 $3.26

-2.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.55 $1.55

30.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.49 $2.49

$2.72 $2.72

-8.46%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.17 $12.17

$12.16 $12.16

0.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.59 $18.59

$14.60 $14.60

27.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.17 $2.17

$1.78 $1.78

21.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.76 $4.76

$3.67 $3.67

29.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.80 $2.80

$3.90 $3.90

-28.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$91.8 $91.8

16.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 $2.54

$4.11 $4.11

-38.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.98 $1.98

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.32 $30.32

$14.77 $14.77

105.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.44 $1.44

$1.56 $1.56

-7.69%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

$36.6K $36.6K

0.48%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.4K $26.4K

-2.33%

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

$226 $226

$136 $136

66.15%

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

$54.0 $54.0

$54.6 $54.6

-1.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.8 $65.8

$76.4 $76.4

-13.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$134 $134

$148 $148

-9.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

$31.52 $31.52

26.55%

Cinema Ticket

$17.31 $17.31

$16.94 $16.94

2.18%

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

$1,980 $1,980

$2,480 $2,480

-20.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.5K $31.5K

$19.8K $19.8K

59.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.8 $60.8

$43.07 $43.07

41.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.35 $44.35

$36.91 $36.91

20.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.8 $95.8

$81.3 $81.3

17.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$136 $136

-6.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,683 $2,683

$2,614 $2,614

2.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,041 $2,041

$2,519 $2,519

-18.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,658 $5,658

$6,101 $6,101

-7.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,822 $3,822

$4,138 $4,138

-7.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,604 $4,604

$6,913 $6,913

-33.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,735 $4,735

$4,999 $4,999

-5.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,805 $8,805

$6,800 $6,800

29.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.64

6.63

0.15%

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

Last update for Bellevue, WA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Alameda, CA: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Bellevue, WA

$2K 54.9%

Alameda, CA

$2.5K 61.2% 23.4% $478

Groceries & Markets

Bellevue, WA

$495 13.3%

Alameda, CA

$469 11.4% 5.4% $27

Eating Out

Bellevue, WA

$392 10.5%

Alameda, CA

$421 10.2% 7.5% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Bellevue, WA

$346 9.3%

Alameda, CA

$267 6.5% 22.8% $79

Sport & Entertainment

Bellevue, WA

$169 4.5%

Alameda, CA

$182 4.4% 8% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Bellevue, WA

$148 4%

Alameda, CA

$134 3.3% 9.4% $14

Getting Around

Bellevue, WA

$128 3.5%

Alameda, CA

$121 3% 5.5% $7.1

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,683 in Bellevue, WA versus $2,614 in Alameda, CA. 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 29% higher in Bellevue, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $102 in Bellevue, WA versus $102 in Alameda, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $495 in Bellevue, WA vs $469 in Alameda, CA – so Alameda, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Bellevue, WA

🇺🇸 Alameda, CA

🕒 Local time

13:30 1:30 PM

Same time as Bellevue, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

151,854

77,624

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Bellevue, WA Alameda, CA 1,090 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Bellevue, WA
Alameda, CA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Bellevue, WA vs Alameda, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,719 in Bellevue, WA, $4,114 in Alameda, CA – roughly 11% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,578 per month in Bellevue, WA and $6,170 in Alameda, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,980 per month in Bellevue, WA and $2,480 in Alameda, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 6% cheaper in Alameda, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,719 in Bellevue, WA and $4,114 in Alameda, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Alameda, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,719 in Bellevue, WA to $4,114 in Alameda, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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