Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cupertino, CA: $3,331 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

162

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
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Cupertino, CA Living Index
184

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

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Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,331

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,331 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $3,331
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $5,299 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $5,299
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $7,267 per month in Cupertino, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Cupertino, CA $7,267
Seattle, WA $7,592

Cupertino, CA is about 12% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Cupertino, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Cupertino, CA by 145%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$25.30 $25.30

-3.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$50.1 $50.1

$101 $101

-50.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.97 $9.97

$14.76 $14.76

-32.45%

Cappuccino

$6.03 $6.03

$6.50 $6.50

-7.23%

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

$2.56 $2.56

$3.21 $3.21

-20.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 $2.19

$3.14 $3.14

-30.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.82 $6.82

$7.97 $7.97

-14.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.13 $8.13

-3.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.28 $1.28

$1.17 $1.17

9.40%

White Bread (500g)

$3.40 $3.40

$5.30 $5.30

-35.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.28 $4.28

$6.40 $6.40

-33.13%

Eggs

$5.10 $5.10

$5.06 $5.06

0.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 $6.78

$18.71 $18.71

-63.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.15 $13.15

$18.72 $18.72

-29.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.40 $13.40

$22.88 $22.88

-41.43%

Apples (1kg)

$3.86 $3.86

$6.06 $6.06

-36.30%

Banana (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.95 $1.95

14.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.14 $2.14

$5.51 $5.51

-61.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 $2.80

$6.52 $6.52

-57.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.46 $2.46

$3.49 $3.49

-29.51%

Onion (1kg)

$3.03 $3.03

$3.29 $3.29

-7.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.47 $2.47

$2.80 $2.80

-11.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$2.58 $2.58

-61.63%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.70 $11.70

$12.49 $12.49

-6.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.99 $12.99

$14.87 $14.87

-12.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$4.19 $4.19

-54.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 $1.90

$5.80 $5.80

-67.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$138 $138

$106 $106

30.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.58 $2.58

65.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.99 $1.99

$1.64 $1.64

21.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.85 $29.85

$30.12 $30.12

-0.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.41 $1.41

4.26%

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

$28.7K $28.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-22.00%

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

$27.1K $27.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

1.83%

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

$250 $250

$308 $308

-18.63%

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

$61.2 $61.2

$69.2 $69.2

-11.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$66.7 $66.7

$86.1 $86.1

-22.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.35 $35.35

$76.5 $76.5

-53.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$15.74 $15.74

$18.02 $18.02

-12.65%

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

$2,120 $2,120

$2,746 $2,746

-22.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.0K $25.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-18.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.4 $57.4

$79.2 $79.2

-27.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.22 $35.22

$54.3 $54.3

-35.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.6 $88.6

$127 $127

-30.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$58.6 $58.6

$159 $159

-63.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,594 $2,594

$2,508 $2,508

3.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,906 $1,906

$1,938 $1,938

-1.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,018 $5,018

$5,117 $5,117

-1.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,331 $4,331

$3,542 $3,542

22.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,384 $7,384

$6,470 $6,470

14.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.89

-5.22%

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

Last update for Cupertino, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 1.7% $33

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Cupertino, CA

$378 11.4%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 22.4% $85

Eating Out

Cupertino, CA

$367 11%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 10.6% $39

Groceries & Markets

Cupertino, CA

$340 10.2%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 60.7% $207

Getting Around

Cupertino, CA

$165 4.9%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 21.6% $36

Clothing & Footwear

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 74.7% $81

Sport & Entertainment

Cupertino, CA

$67 2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 68.3% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,594 in Cupertino, 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 14% higher in Cupertino, CA, 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 $50 in Cupertino, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $340 vs $547 – making Cupertino, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

16:28 4:28 PM

Same time as Cupertino, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

58,302

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Cupertino, CA Seattle, WA 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Cupertino, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,331 in Cupertino, CA, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Cupertino, CA comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,996 per month in Cupertino, CA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,594 in Cupertino, CA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 61% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $50 in Cupertino, CA and $101 in Seattle, WA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,331 in Cupertino, CA and $3,785 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 $3,331 in Cupertino, CA to $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.