Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fontana, CA: $3,399 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,600 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

165

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

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

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Fontana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,399

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,399 per month in Fontana, CA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fontana, CA $3,399
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $5,055 per month in Fontana, CA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fontana, CA $5,055
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $6,711 per month in Fontana, CA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fontana, CA $6,711
Seattle, WA $7,489

Fontana, CA is about 10% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fontana, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Fontana, CA by 151%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.01 $20.01

$24.52 $24.52

-18.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.4 $78.4

$98.2 $98.2

-20.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.79 $14.79

0.54%

Cappuccino

$5.65 $5.65

$6.52 $6.52

-13.34%

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

$3.48 $3.48

$3.23 $3.23

7.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 $2.38

$3.17 $3.17

-24.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.28 $7.28

$7.85 $7.85

-7.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.25 $9.25

$8.03 $8.03

15.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.06 $1.06

$1.21 $1.21

-12.40%

White Bread (500g)

$4.12 $4.12

$5.14 $5.14

-19.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.80 $4.80

$6.05 $6.05

-20.66%

Eggs

$5.03 $5.03

$4.88 $4.88

3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.18 $13.18

$19.18 $19.18

-31.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.66 $8.66

$18.91 $18.91

-54.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.23 $15.23

$23.31 $23.31

-34.66%

Apples (1kg)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.99 $5.99

-19.70%

Banana (1kg)

$2.12 $2.12

$1.93 $1.93

9.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$5.25 $5.25

-23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.71 $5.71

$6.57 $6.57

-13.09%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 $3.61

$3.62 $3.62

-0.28%

Onion (1kg)

$2.30 $2.30

$3.31 $3.31

-30.51%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.06 $2.06

$2.78 $2.78

-25.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.51 $2.51

-23.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 $11.73

$12.18 $12.18

-3.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 $14.79

$14.83 $14.83

-0.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$4.22 $4.22

-54.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.07 $4.07

$5.77 $5.77

-29.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$45.84 $45.84

$106 $106

-56.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.39 $6.39

$2.65 $2.65

141.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.49 $1.49

-1.34%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

-18.43%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.36%

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

$220 $220

$302 $302

-27.05%

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

$79.5 $79.5

$70.1 $70.1

13.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$59.7 $59.7

$85.3 $85.3

-29.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$15.18 $15.18

$17.84 $17.84

-14.91%

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

$1,196 $1,196

$2,973 $2,973

-59.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.6 $58.6

$76.6 $76.6

-23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.49 $39.49

$54.1 $54.1

-26.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.6 $91.6

$128 $128

-28.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 $103

$164 $164

-37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,039 $2,039

$2,445 $2,445

-16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 $2,080

$1,947 $1,947

6.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,222 $3,222

$4,744 $4,744

-32.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,818 $3,818

$3,469 $3,469

10.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,917 $4,917

$6,506 $6,506

-24.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.89

-8.42%

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

Last update for Fontana, CA: October 17, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fontana, CA

$2.1K 61.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 6.4% $133

Groceries & Markets

Fontana, CA

$395 11.6%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 38.1% $151

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fontana, CA

$359 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 27.2% $98

Eating Out

Fontana, CA

$351 10.3%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 13.9% $49

Clothing & Footwear

Fontana, CA

$132 3.9%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 44.6% $59

Getting Around

Fontana, CA

$52 * 1.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 148% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Fontana, CA

$30 * 0.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 274% $83

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,039 in Fontana, CA versus $2,445 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 32% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $78.0 in Fontana, CA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $395 vs $546 – making Fontana, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fontana, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

07:38 7:38 AM

Same time as Fontana, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

210,000

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

Fontana, 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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 11% more than Fontana, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,099 per month in Fontana, CA and $5,673 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fontana, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,399 in Fontana, CA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 11%.

Public transport costs about 132% less in Fontana, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,399 in Fontana, CA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Fontana, CA costs $3,399 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Fontana, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.