Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Downey, CA: $3,058 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

147

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

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

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Downey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,058

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,058 in Downey, CA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA.

Downey, CA $3,058
Seattle, WA $3,785

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,673 in Downey, CA versus $5,688 in Seattle, WA.

Downey, CA $4,673
Seattle, WA $5,688

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,289 in Downey, CA versus $7,592 in Seattle, WA.

Downey, CA $6,289
Seattle, WA $7,592

Living in Downey, CA costs roughly 19% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Downey, CA 125% above, Seattle, WA 178% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.21 $25.21

$25.30 $25.30

-0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.0 $80.0

$101 $101

-20.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.90 $14.90

$14.76 $14.76

0.95%

Cappuccino

$5.67 $5.67

$6.50 $6.50

-12.77%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$3.21 $3.21

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$3.14 $3.14

-22.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.37 $7.37

$7.97 $7.97

-7.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.34 $9.34

$8.13 $8.13

14.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.10 $1.10

$1.17 $1.17

-5.98%

White Bread (500g)

$3.97 $3.97

$5.30 $5.30

-25.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.75 $4.75

$6.40 $6.40

-25.78%

Eggs

$4.87 $4.87

$5.06 $5.06

-3.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$18.71 $18.71

-31.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.01 $13.01

$18.72 $18.72

-30.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.33 $15.33

$22.88 $22.88

-33.00%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$6.06 $6.06

-22.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.95 $1.95

-14.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$5.51 $5.51

-25.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.50 $5.50

$6.52 $6.52

-15.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.74 $3.74

$3.49 $3.49

7.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.05 $3.05

$3.29 $3.29

-7.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.80 $2.80

-28.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.58 $2.58

-13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.55 $11.55

$12.49 $12.49

-7.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.72 $14.72

$14.87 $14.87

-1.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$4.19 $4.19

-52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.80 $5.80

-28.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 $6.09

$2.58 $2.58

136.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 $1.50

$1.41 $1.41

6.38%

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

$28.8K $28.8K

$36.8K $36.8K

-21.75%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.6K $26.6K

1.24%

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

$169 $169

$308 $308

-45.07%

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

$68.3 $68.3

$69.2 $69.2

-1.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.6 $72.6

$86.1 $86.1

-15.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.23 $35.23

$76.5 $76.5

-53.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$15.33 $15.33

$18.02 $18.02

-14.93%

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

$1,159 $1,159

$2,746 $2,746

-57.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 $59.0

$79.2 $79.2

-25.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.13 $44.13

$54.3 $54.3

-18.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.3 $93.3

$127 $127

-26.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$159 $159

-8.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,989 $1,989

$2,508 $2,508

-20.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,715 $1,715

$1,938 $1,938

-11.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,721 $3,721

$5,117 $5,117

-27.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,279 $3,279

$3,542 $3,542

-7.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,713 $5,713

$7,374 $7,374

-22.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,622 $5,622

$5,002 $5,002

12.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,281 $4,281

$6,470 $6,470

-33.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.89

-7.26%

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

Last update for Downey, 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

Downey, CA

$1.7K 56.1%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 13.1% $224

Groceries & Markets

Downey, CA

$416 13.6%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 31.5% $131

Eating Out

Downey, CA

$392 12.8%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 3.7% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Downey, CA

$310 10.1%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 49.3% $153

Clothing & Footwear

Downey, CA

$153 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 22.9% $35

Sport & Entertainment

Downey, CA

$66 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 70.7% $47

Getting Around

Downey, CA

$6.1 * 0.2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 2018% $123

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 $1,989 in Downey, CA and $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 51% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $80 in Downey, CA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $416 vs $547 per month, with Downey, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Downey, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

04:02 4:02 AM

Same time as Downey, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

114,355

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Downey, CA Seattle, WA 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Downey, 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

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

Downey, CA is about 19% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 34% lower in Downey, CA. 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: $1,989 in Downey, CA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $3,058 per month in Downey, CA versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Downey, CA is about 19% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Downey, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Downey, CA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.