Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Cali and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Cali: $1,054 a month against $3,744 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $32,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

51

Cost of Living Index in Cali
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Cali Living Index
184

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

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Cali

🇨🇴 Colombia

$1,054

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,744

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,054 in Cali versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA.

Cali $1,054
Seattle, WA $3,744

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,614 in Cali versus $5,703 in Seattle, WA.

Cali $1,614
Seattle, WA $5,703

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,174 in Cali versus $7,661 in Seattle, WA.

Cali $2,174
Seattle, WA $7,661

Living in Cali costs roughly 72% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Cali is 21% below, Seattle, WA is 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.26 COP 23.4K

$24.56 $24.56

-70.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.04 COP 119.3K

$99.5 $99.5

-62.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.05 COP 25.9K

$15.30 $15.30

-47.39%

Cappuccino

$1.54 COP 4,972

$6.62 $6.62

-76.74%

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

$1.25 COP 4,027

$3.25 $3.25

-61.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.84 COP 2,702

$3.11 $3.11

-72.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.16 COP 10.2K

$7.77 $7.77

-59.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 COP 11.5K

$7.93 $7.93

-54.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.55 COP 4,998

$1.21 $1.21

28.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.87 COP 6,026

$4.94 $4.94

-62.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.50 COP 4,822

$6.17 $6.17

-75.69%

Eggs

$2.77 COP 8,907

$4.96 $4.96

-44.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.40 COP 20.6K

$19.00 $19.00

-66.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.89 COP 22.2K

$18.69 $18.69

-63.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 COP 31.9K

$23.14 $23.14

-57.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.43 COP 11.0K

$5.93 $5.93

-42.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 COP 4,186

$1.94 $1.94

-32.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.76 COP 5,659

$5.19 $5.19

-66.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 COP 5,421

$6.55 $6.55

-74.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,730

$3.62 $3.62

-59.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,722

$3.16 $3.16

-53.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 COP 3,551

$2.91 $2.91

-62.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 COP 3,004

$2.38 $2.38

-60.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.63 COP 11.7K

$12.36 $12.36

-70.63%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 COP 40.5K

$15.02 $15.02

-16.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.42 COP 4,565

$4.30 $4.30

-66.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.40 COP 7,712

$5.69 $5.69

-57.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.05 COP 3,370

$3.05 $3.05

-65.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.00 COP 93.4K

$109 $109

-73.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.83 COP 2,664

$2.64 $2.64

-68.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.74 $1.74

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.02 $30.02

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 COP 4,040

$1.46 $1.46

-14.38%

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

$36.7K $36.7K

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

$33.7K COP 108.5M

$25.7K $25.7K

31.23%

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

$111 COP 358.1K

$299 $299

-62.86%

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

$12.79 COP 41.2K

$69.7 $69.7

-81.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$29.75 COP 95.8K

$90.1 $90.1

-66.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$28.38 COP 91.4K

$80.0 $80.0

-64.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.62 $35.62

Cinema Ticket

$8.24 COP 26.5K

$17.33 $17.33

-52.45%

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

$2,986 $2,986

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.8 COP 243.9K

$77.7 $77.7

-2.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 COP 173.3K

$54.9 $54.9

-1.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$122 COP 394.4K

$126 $126

-2.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 350.7K

$165 $165

-34.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$638 COP 2.1M

$2,407 $2,407

-73.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$291 COP 937.4K

$1,963 $1,963

-85.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,498 COP 4.8M

$4,788 $4,788

-68.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$479 COP 1.5M

$3,561 $3,561

-86.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,430 $7,430

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,010 $5,010

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$567 COP 1.8M

$6,280 $6,280

-90.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.58

6.85

69.05%

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

Last update for Cali: October 4, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 6, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cali

$291 27.6%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.6% 574% $1.7K

Groceries & Markets

Cali

$235 22.3%

Seattle, WA

$541 14.2% 130% $306

Clothing & Footwear

Cali

$162 15.4%

Seattle, WA

$191 5% 17.3% $28

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cali

$154 14.6%

Seattle, WA

$459 12.1% 199% $305

Eating Out

Cali

$132 12.5%

Seattle, WA

$402 10.6% 204% $270

Sport & Entertainment

Cali

$45 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$115 3% 156% $70

Getting Around

Cali

$34 * 3.2%

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5% 289% $98

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 $638 in Cali and $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 1008% 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: $37.00 in Cali vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $541 per month, with Cali cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇴 Cali

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

20:08 8:08 PM

18:08 6:08 PM

2 h behind Cali

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

2,568,609

737,015

💱 Currency

Colombian Peso COP $

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 COP = 3.11 USD

10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to COP – Colombian Peso Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇴 Colombian Peso ($)

Colombian Peso exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 3,220 COP (10,000 COP = 3.11 USD). 1 EUR = 3,611 COP (10,000 COP = 2.77 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to COP in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Cali Seattle, WA 6,570 km ≈ 9 h nonstop flight

From you

Cali
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

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

Cali is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 255% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 1008% 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.

Rent for a central apartment: $638 in Cali versus $2,407 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cali – a meal for two runs $37.00 versus $99.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cali runs roughly 274% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,054 in Cali versus $3,744 in Seattle, WA, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Cali but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Cali the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cali is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Cali gentler on the wallet – expenses run 255% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.