Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Burbank, CA: $3,673 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

Burbank, CA, United States
Seattle, WA, United States
Burbank, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,673
/mo nomad
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,673 per month in Burbank, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Burbank, CA $3,673
  • Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,555 per month in Burbank, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Burbank, CA $3,555
  • Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $3,438 per month in Burbank, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

  • Burbank, CA $3,438
  • Seattle, WA $7,592

Burbank, CA is about 3% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Burbank, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Burbank, CA by 170%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.03 $25.03
$25.30 $25.30
-1.07%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$77.6 $77.6
$101 $101
-23.09%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.82 $14.82
$14.76 $14.76
0.41%
Cappuccino
$5.60 $5.60
$6.50 $6.50
-13.85%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.70 $3.70
$3.21 $3.21
15.26%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.79 $2.79
$3.14 $3.14
-11.15%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.91 $7.91
$7.97 $7.97
-0.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$9.96 $9.96
$8.13 $8.13
22.51%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.34 $1.34
$1.17 $1.17
14.53%
White Bread (500g)
$5.10 $5.10
$5.30 $5.30
-3.77%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$4.48 $4.48
$6.40 $6.40
-30.00%
Eggs
$5.51 $5.51
$5.06 $5.06
8.89%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$15.73 $15.73
$18.71 $18.71
-15.93%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$15.76 $15.76
$18.72 $18.72
-15.81%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$19.92 $19.92
$22.88 $22.88
-12.94%
Apples (1kg)
$5.19 $5.19
$6.06 $6.06
-14.36%
Banana (1kg)
$2.33 $2.33
$1.95 $1.95
19.49%
Oranges (1kg)
$3.94 $3.94
$5.51 $5.51
-28.49%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.52 $5.52
$6.52 $6.52
-15.34%
Potato (1kg)
$3.27 $3.27
$3.49 $3.49
-6.30%
Onion (1kg)
$2.83 $2.83
$3.29 $3.29
-13.98%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.15 $2.15
$2.80 $2.80
-23.21%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.74 $2.74
$2.58 $2.58
6.20%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$11.81 $11.81
$12.49 $12.49
-5.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$15.25 $15.25
$14.87 $14.87
2.56%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$2.54 $2.54
$4.19 $4.19
-39.38%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 $2.82
$5.80 $5.80
-51.38%
🚌 Getting Around
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$1.71 $1.71
$3.05 $3.05
-43.93%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$106 $106
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$3.03 $3.03
$2.58 $2.58
17.44%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.88 $1.88
$1.64 $1.64
14.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$31.97 $31.97
$30.12 $30.12
6.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 $1.45
$1.41 $1.41
2.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K $29.2K
$36.8K $36.8K
-20.54%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.9K $26.9K
$26.6K $26.6K
1.16%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$214 $214
$308 $308
-30.58%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$78.1 $78.1
$69.2 $69.2
12.91%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$72.9 $72.9
$86.1 $86.1
-15.33%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$132 $132
$76.5 $76.5
72.41%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$35.50 $35.50
-
Cinema Ticket
$19.71 $19.71
$18.02 $18.02
9.38%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$1,713 $1,713
$2,746 $2,746
-37.61%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$32.8K $32.8K
$30.6K $30.6K
7.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$61.8 $61.8
$79.2 $79.2
-21.92%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$47.26 $47.26
$54.3 $54.3
-12.98%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$107 $107
$127 $127
-16.01%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$103 $103
$159 $159
-34.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$3,197 $3,197
$2,508 $2,508
27.47%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$2,098 $2,098
$1,938 $1,938
8.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$5,117 $5,117
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$3,542 $3,542
-
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$7,374 $7,374
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$5,002 $5,002
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Burbank, CA
Seattle, WA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$5,368 $5,368
$6,470 $6,470
-17.03%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.31
6.89
-8.42%

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

Last update for Burbank, CA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Burbank, CA
$2.1K
Seattle, WA
$1.9K 7.6% $159
Groceries & Markets
Burbank, CA
$479
Seattle, WA
$547 14.2% $68
Eating Out
Burbank, CA
$397
Seattle, WA
$406 2.2% $8.9
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burbank, CA
$365
Seattle, WA
$463 27% $98
Sport & Entertainment
Burbank, CA
$171
Seattle, WA
$112 34.3% $59
Clothing & Footwear
Burbank, CA
$144
Seattle, WA
$189 31.5% $45
Getting Around
Burbank, CA
$19 *
Seattle, WA
$129 569% $110

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,197 in Burbank, CA versus $2,508 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 21% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78 in Burbank, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $479 vs $547 – making Burbank, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Burbank, CA
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🕒 Local time
12:35 12:35 PM
12:35 12:35 PM
Same time as Burbank, CA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
103,340
737,015
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of November 1, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.896 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Burbank, CA Seattle, WA 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Burbank, 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
Burbank, CA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Burbank, CA or Seattle, WA?
Seattle, WA costs about 3% more than Burbank, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Burbank, CA and in Seattle, WA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,509 per month in Burbank, CA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Burbank, CA or Seattle, WA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,197 in Burbank, CA.
How much does it cost to live in Burbank, CA compared to Seattle, WA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,673 in Burbank, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Burbank, CA about 3% cheaper.
How do childcare costs compare in Burbank, CA and in Seattle, WA?
Kindergarten costs $1,713 per month in Burbank, CA and $2,746 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Burbank, CA or in Seattle, WA?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,673 in Burbank, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for digital nomads, Burbank, CA or Seattle, WA?
For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Burbank, CA costs $3,673 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.
Should I move to Burbank, CA or to Seattle, WA?
If budget matters most, go with Burbank, CA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.

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