Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Brentwood, CA: $2,609 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Brentwood, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,609
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,782
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Brentwood, 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 Brentwood, CA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,609 in Brentwood, CA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

  • Brentwood, CA $2,609
  • Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,005 in Brentwood, CA versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

  • Brentwood, CA $4,005
  • Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,401 in Brentwood, CA versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

  • Brentwood, CA $5,401
  • Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Brentwood, CA costs roughly 31% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Brentwood, CA 93% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.11 $25.11
$24.52 $24.52
2.41%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$112 $112
$98.2 $98.2
13.60%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$15.08 $15.08
$14.79 $14.79
1.96%
Cappuccino
$5.59 $5.59
$6.52 $6.52
-14.26%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.06 $3.06
$3.23 $3.23
-5.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.48 $2.48
$3.17 $3.17
-21.77%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.91 $8.91
$7.85 $7.85
13.50%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$7.78 $7.78
$8.03 $8.03
-3.11%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.26 $1.26
$1.21 $1.21
4.13%
White Bread (500g)
$4.33 $4.33
$5.14 $5.14
-15.76%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.75 $4.75
$6.05 $6.05
-21.49%
Eggs
$5.42 $5.42
$4.88 $4.88
11.07%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$24.69 $24.69
$19.18 $19.18
28.73%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$11.72 $11.72
$18.91 $18.91
-38.02%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$13.17 $13.17
$23.31 $23.31
-43.50%
Apples (1kg)
$5.41 $5.41
$5.99 $5.99
-9.68%
Banana (1kg)
$3.06 $3.06
$1.93 $1.93
58.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.72 $4.72
$5.25 $5.25
-10.10%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.89 $5.89
$6.57 $6.57
-10.35%
Potato (1kg)
$3.30 $3.30
$3.62 $3.62
-8.84%
Onion (1kg)
$3.86 $3.86
$3.31 $3.31
16.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.96 $2.96
$2.78 $2.78
6.47%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.70 $2.70
$2.51 $2.51
7.57%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.68 $11.68
$12.18 $12.18
-4.11%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.08 $13.08
$14.83 $14.83
-11.80%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.17 $2.17
$4.22 $4.22
-48.58%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$5.77 $5.77
-55.98%
🚌 Getting Around
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.94 $1.94
$2.95 $2.95
-34.24%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$106 $106
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.94 $3.94
$2.65 $2.65
48.68%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.70 $1.70
$1.72 $1.72
-1.16%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$32.36 $32.36
$29.72 $29.72
8.88%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.54 $1.54
$1.49 $1.49
3.36%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.7K $27.7K
$35.9K $35.9K
-22.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.3K $27.3K
$26.2K $26.2K
4.00%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$137 $137
$302 $302
-54.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.77 $39.77
$70.1 $70.1
-43.28%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$62.2 $62.2
$85.3 $85.3
-27.02%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.88 $39.88
$77.8 $77.8
-48.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$34.58 $34.58
-
Cinema Ticket
$17.89 $17.89
$17.84 $17.84
0.28%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,330 $2,330
$2,973 $2,973
-21.62%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$23.9K $23.9K
$31.3K $31.3K
-23.75%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$52.1 $52.1
$76.6 $76.6
-31.94%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.73 $39.73
$54.1 $54.1
-26.49%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.2 $76.2
$128 $128
-40.52%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$59.0 $59.0
$164 $164
-64.05%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,791 $1,791
$2,445 $2,445
-26.74%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,309 $1,309
$1,947 $1,947
-32.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,551 $2,551
$4,744 $4,744
-46.23%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,270 $2,270
$3,469 $3,469
-34.55%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,730 $2,730
$7,367 $7,367
-62.94%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,181 $2,181
$5,127 $5,127
-57.46%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Brentwood, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,395 $6,395
$6,506 $6,506
-1.72%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.69
6.89
-2.90%

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

Last update for Brentwood, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Brentwood, CA
$1.3K
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 48.7% $637
Groceries & Markets
Brentwood, CA
$466
Seattle, WA
$546 17% $79
Eating Out
Brentwood, CA
$395
Seattle, WA
$400 1.1% $4.2
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Brentwood, CA
$239
Seattle, WA
$457 91.1% $218
Clothing & Footwear
Brentwood, CA
$102
Seattle, WA
$190 86.2% $88
Sport & Entertainment
Brentwood, CA
$76
Seattle, WA
$114 50% $38
Getting Around
Brentwood, CA
$20 *
Seattle, WA
$129 539% $109

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,791 in Brentwood, CA and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 2% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $112 in Brentwood, CA vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $466 vs $546, with Brentwood, CA cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Brentwood, CA
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
01:11 1:11 AM
01:11 1:11 AM
Same time as Brentwood, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
64,474
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 22, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Brentwood, CA Seattle, WA 1,080 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Brentwood, CA
  • Seattle, WA

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
Brentwood, CA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the total cost difference between living in Brentwood, CA and in Seattle, WA?
Brentwood, CA and Seattle, WA differ by about 45% in total monthly costs ($2,609 vs $3,782 including rent). Brentwood, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.
Which city has better-paying jobs?
On paper, salaries run 2% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.
How do apartment prices compare in Brentwood, CA and in Seattle, WA?
Rent for a central apartment: $1,791 in Brentwood, CA versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
Which city has cheaper grocery shopping?
Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Which city is more expensive overall: Brentwood, CA or Seattle, WA?
All in, you'll spend $2,609 per month in Brentwood, CA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA – a 45% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.
Which city is feasible on a $3,000 budget?
Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. Brentwood, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.
How does quality of life compare between Brentwood, CA and Seattle, WA?
Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.
Is Brentwood, CA or Seattle, WA safer for residents?
Safety-wise, Brentwood, CA and Seattle, WA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Where should expats move: Brentwood, CA or Seattle, WA?
Expats usually find Brentwood, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 45% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

Brentwood, CA vs other spots: cost of living compared

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