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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,834 in Dublin, CA versus $3,886 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,471 in Dublin, CA versus $5,699 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,107 in Dublin, CA versus $7,513 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Dublin, CA costs roughly 1% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Dublin, CA 178% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.14 $20.14

$25.37 $25.37

-20.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$64.5 $64.5

$101 $101

-36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.16 $11.16

$14.80 $14.80

-24.59%

Cappuccino

$5.40 $5.40

$6.63 $6.63

-18.55%

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

$2.77 $2.77

$3.08 $3.08

-10.06%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.42 $2.42

$2.96 $2.96

-18.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.13 $7.13

$7.94 $7.94

-10.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.17 $7.17

$7.88 $7.88

-9.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 $1.73

$1.22 $1.22

41.80%

White Bread (500g)

$4.44 $4.44

$5.14 $5.14

-13.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.01 $4.01

$6.16 $6.16

-34.90%

Eggs

$5.82 $5.82

$5.08 $5.08

14.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.59 $6.59

$21.31 $21.31

-69.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.01 $14.01

$18.42 $18.42

-23.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.00 $22.00

$23.04 $23.04

-4.51%

Apples (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$6.04 $6.04

-10.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.98 $1.98

$1.88 $1.88

5.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$5.20 $5.20

6.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$6.37 $6.37

-29.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.65 $3.65

$3.78 $3.78

-3.44%

Onion (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$3.30 $3.30

-32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.96 $1.96

$2.87 $2.87

-31.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.66 $2.66

-4.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.68 $11.68

$13.91 $13.91

-16.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.81 $15.81

$15.05 $15.05

5.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$4.17 $4.17

-39.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$5.64 $5.64

-39.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.97 $2.97

2.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$89.0 $89.0

$107 $107

-17.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.57 $2.57

35.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.65 $1.65

83.64%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.11 $30.11

$29.49 $29.49

2.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.46 $1.46

-2.05%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$36.0K $36.0K

3.40%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.4K $25.4K

2.11%

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

$120 $120

$306 $306

-60.85%

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

$47.08 $47.08

$70.2 $70.2

-32.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.6 $84.6

$87.4 $87.4

-3.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$34.36 $34.36

$79.9 $79.9

-57.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.63 $34.63

$34.74 $34.74

-0.32%

Cinema Ticket

$14.78 $14.78

$17.85 $17.85

-17.20%

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

$1,851 $1,851

$3,018 $3,018

-38.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$31.1K $31.1K

30.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.0 $59.0

$76.6 $76.6

-23.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$51.3 $51.3

$53.8 $53.8

-4.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.5 $78.5

$126 $126

-37.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$118 $118

$162 $162

-27.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,784 $2,784

$2,456 $2,456

13.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,465 $2,465

$1,981 $1,981

24.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,451 $4,451

$4,881 $4,881

-8.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,030 $4,030

$3,625 $3,625

11.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K $12.8K

$7,376 $7,376

73.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.6K $10.6K

$5,007 $5,007

111.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,485 $5,485

$6,165 $6,165

-11.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.17

6.45

-4.34%

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

Last update for Dublin, CA: September 6, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,784 in Dublin, CA and $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 12% 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: $64.0 in Dublin, CA vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $445 vs $551 per month, with Dublin, CA cheaper across the board.

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

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

Dublin, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 1% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Dublin, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $2,784 in Dublin, CA versus $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 24% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Dublin, CA – a meal for two runs $64.0 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Dublin, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Dublin, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,834 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Dublin, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Dublin, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.