Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Fullerton, CA and Pullman, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Pullman, WA: $2,285 a month against $3,469 in Fullerton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

168

Cost of Living Index in Fullerton, CA
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Fullerton, CA Living Index
110

Cost of Living Index in Pullman, WA
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Pullman, WA Living Index

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Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,469

/mo nomad

Pullman, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,285

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Fullerton, CA and in Pullman, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Fullerton, CA and in Pullman, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,469 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $2,285 in Pullman, WA, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $3,469
Pullman, WA $2,285

A couple spends around $5,407 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $3,359 in Pullman, WA, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $5,407
Pullman, WA $3,359

A family of three spends $7,345 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $4,434 in Pullman, WA, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $7,345
Pullman, WA $4,434

Fullerton, CA costs about 52% more than Pullman, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Fullerton, CA and Pullman, WA sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 155%, Pullman, WA by 68%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.40 $25.40

$16.30 $16.30

55.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.1 $78.1

$65.0 $65.0

20.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.52 $11.52

$8.94 $8.94

28.86%

Cappuccino

$5.62 $5.62

$4.58 $4.58

22.71%

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

$2.80 $2.80

$2.18 $2.18

28.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.80 $1.80

12.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.76 $7.76

$5.42 $5.42

43.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.65 $9.65

$5.34 $5.34

80.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.02 $1.02

32.35%

White Bread (500g)

$5.08 $5.08

$3.76 $3.76

35.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.30 $4.30

$3.77 $3.77

14.06%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.53 $5.53

-8.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.65 $12.65

$20.82 $20.82

-39.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$9.02 $9.02

$13.73 $13.73

-34.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.39 $15.39

$23.50 $23.50

-34.51%

Apples (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$4.84 $4.84

-3.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.09 $2.09

-17.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.13 $4.13

$3.44 $3.44

20.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$8.34 $8.34

-23.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.68 $2.68

35.07%

Onion (1kg)

$3.20 $3.20

$3.04 $3.04

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 $2.09

$3.45 $3.45

-39.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.56 $2.56

$2.72 $2.72

-5.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.93 $11.93

$8.37 $8.37

42.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$13.41 $13.41

13.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.77 $1.77

$1.75 $1.75

1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.12 $3.12

$8.77 $8.77

-64.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.27 $2.27

$0.98 $0.98

131.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.7 $64.7

$29.90 $29.90

116.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.12 $4.12

8.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$3.81 $3.81

-52.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.65 $35.65

$49.85 $49.85

-28.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.07 $1.07

35.51%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$19.7K $19.7K

41.55%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$20.0K $20.0K

31.91%

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

$219 $219

$107 $107

103.94%

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

$86.9 $86.9

$83.7 $83.7

3.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.4 $73.4

$51.2 $51.2

43.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.81 $39.81

$30.20 $30.20

31.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.95 $9.95

Cinema Ticket

$11.84 $11.84

$14.80 $14.80

-20.00%

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

$1,423 $1,423

$1,208 $1,208

17.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$42.9K $42.9K

$21.0K $21.0K

104.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$73.0 $73.0

$53.1 $53.1

37.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.30 $41.30

$22.25 $22.25

85.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.8 $91.8

$102 $102

-9.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$160 $160

-24.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,598 $2,598

$1,215 $1,215

113.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,994 $1,994

$1,016 $1,016

96.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,040 $4,040

$1,988 $1,988

103.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,127 $4,127

$1,524 $1,524

170.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,397 $5,397

$2,218 $2,218

143.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,517 $4,517

$3,454 $3,454

30.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.31

6.54

-3.52%

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

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Pullman, WA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fullerton, CA

$2K 57.5%

Pullman, WA

$1K 44.5% 49.1% $978

Groceries & Markets

Fullerton, CA

$415 12%

Pullman, WA

$493 21.6% 18.7% $78

Eating Out

Fullerton, CA

$383 11%

Pullman, WA

$266 11.6% 30.5% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fullerton, CA

$379 10.9%

Pullman, WA

$242 10.6% 36.1% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Fullerton, CA

$147 4.2%

Pullman, WA

$152 6.6% 3% $4.4

Getting Around

Fullerton, CA

$87 2.5%

Pullman, WA

$57 2.5% 34.8% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Fullerton, CA

$63 1.8%

Pullman, WA

$60 2.6% 5.8% $3.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,598 in Fullerton, CA versus $1,215 in Pullman, 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 31% higher in Fullerton, CA, 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 in Fullerton, CA versus $65 in Pullman, WA. Groceries tell a different story – $415 in Fullerton, CA vs $493 in Pullman, WA – so Fullerton, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 Pullman, WA

🕒 Local time

18:21 6:21 PM

Same time as Fullerton, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

135,161

32,901

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Fullerton, CA Pullman, WA 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Fullerton, CA
Pullman, WA

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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

Fullerton, CA vs Pullman, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,469 in Fullerton, CA, $2,285 in Pullman, WA – Pullman, WA comes out roughly 34% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,204 per month in Fullerton, CA and $3,428 in Pullman, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pullman, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,215 there versus $2,598 in Fullerton, CA.

Kindergarten costs $1,423 per month in Fullerton, CA and $1,208 in Pullman, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Fullerton, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pullman, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in Fullerton, CA at $3,469. In Pullman, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fullerton, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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