Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Davis, CA: $3,316 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

161

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
Learn more

Davis, CA Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,316

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,316 per month in Davis, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Davis, CA $3,316
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $4,712 per month in Davis, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Davis, CA $4,712
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $6,107 per month in Davis, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Davis, CA $6,107
Seattle, WA $7,592

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

Both Davis, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Davis, CA by 144%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.69 $22.69

$25.30 $25.30

-10.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.5 $99.5

$101 $101

-1.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.87 $12.87

$14.76 $14.76

-12.80%

Cappuccino

$5.02 $5.02

$6.50 $6.50

-22.77%

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

$3.57 $3.57

$3.21 $3.21

11.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.36 $2.36

$3.14 $3.14

-24.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.06 $8.06

$7.97 $7.97

1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.15 $8.15

$8.13 $8.13

0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.17 $1.17

13.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$5.30 $5.30

-28.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.20 $4.20

$6.40 $6.40

-34.38%

Eggs

$5.11 $5.11

$5.06 $5.06

0.99%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 $11.06

$18.71 $18.71

-40.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.66 $15.66

$18.72 $18.72

-16.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$17.26 $17.26

$22.88 $22.88

-24.56%

Apples (1kg)

$5.14 $5.14

$6.06 $6.06

-15.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.95 $1.95

-15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$5.51 $5.51

-21.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.78 $4.78

$6.52 $6.52

-26.69%

Potato (1kg)

$2.77 $2.77

$3.49 $3.49

-20.63%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.29 $3.29

-6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.80 $2.80

-18.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.58 $2.58

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.67 $10.67

$12.49 $12.49

-14.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.12 $16.12

$14.87 $14.87

8.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.20 $2.20

$4.19 $4.19

-47.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.80 $5.80

-40.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.48 $1.48

$3.05 $3.05

-51.48%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$37.27 $37.27

$106 $106

-64.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.40 $3.40

$2.58 $2.58

31.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.52 $1.52

$1.64 $1.64

-7.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.75 $29.75

$30.12 $30.12

-1.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.41 $1.41

-1.42%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-24.86%

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

$25.1K $25.1K

$26.6K $26.6K

-5.78%

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

$289 $289

$308 $308

-5.97%

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

$58.5 $58.5

$69.2 $69.2

-15.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$77.6 $77.6

$86.1 $86.1

-9.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.16 $43.16

$76.5 $76.5

-43.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$15.40 $15.40

$18.02 $18.02

-14.54%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$2,746 $2,746

-49.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.7K $24.7K

$30.6K $30.6K

-19.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.3 $54.3

$79.2 $79.2

-31.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 $41.13

$54.3 $54.3

-24.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$94.9 $94.9

$127 $127

-25.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 $115

$159 $159

-27.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,743 $1,743

$2,508 $2,508

-30.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,836 $1,836

$1,938 $1,938

-5.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,453 $3,453

$5,117 $5,117

-32.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,849 $2,849

$3,542 $3,542

-19.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,834 $2,834

$7,374 $7,374

-61.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,209 $4,209

$5,002 $5,002

-15.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,088 $5,088

$6,470 $6,470

-21.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.89

-11.47%

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

Last update for Davis, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Davis, CA

$1.8K 55.4%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 5.6% $103

Groceries & Markets

Davis, CA

$429 12.9%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 27.5% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Davis, CA

$425 12.8%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 8.8% $37

Eating Out

Davis, CA

$361 10.9%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 12.6% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Davis, CA

$137 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 37.3% $51

Sport & Entertainment

Davis, CA

$74 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 52.1% $39

Getting Around

Davis, CA

$54 1.6%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 138% $75

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,743 in Davis, 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 27% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Davis, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $429 vs $547 – making Davis, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

05:07 5:07 AM

Same time as Davis, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

66,850

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Davis, CA Seattle, WA 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Davis, 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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 14%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,975 per month in Davis, CA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Davis, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,743 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,316 in Davis, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Davis, CA about 12% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $1,391 per month in Davis, 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.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,316 in Davis, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Davis, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Davis, 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.