Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fullerton, CA: $3,507 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

169

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

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

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Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,507

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,507 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $3,507
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $5,392 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $5,392
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $7,276 per month in Fullerton, CA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Fullerton, CA $7,276
Seattle, WA $7,489

Fullerton, CA is about 7% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Fullerton, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Fullerton, CA by 159%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.09 $25.09

$24.52 $24.52

2.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$98.2 $98.2

-19.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.35 $11.35

$14.79 $14.79

-23.26%

Cappuccino

$5.72 $5.72

$6.52 $6.52

-12.27%

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

$2.81 $2.81

$3.23 $3.23

-13.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 $2.05

$3.17 $3.17

-35.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.85 $7.85

0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.81 $9.81

$8.03 $8.03

22.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.21 $1.21

16.53%

White Bread (500g)

$5.10 $5.10

$5.14 $5.14

-0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.34 $4.34

$6.05 $6.05

-28.26%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.88 $4.88

3.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.26 $12.26

$19.18 $19.18

-36.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.63 $8.63

$18.91 $18.91

-54.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.69 $15.69

$23.31 $23.31

-32.69%

Apples (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$5.99 $5.99

-21.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.93 $1.93

-10.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 $4.02

$5.25 $5.25

-23.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$6.57 $6.57

-2.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$3.62 $3.62

-1.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.11 $2.11

$2.78 $2.78

-24.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.51 $2.51

1.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.66 $11.66

$12.18 $12.18

-4.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.13 $15.13

$14.83 $14.83

2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$4.22 $4.22

-58.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.25 $3.25

$5.77 $5.77

-43.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.30 $2.30

$2.95 $2.95

-22.03%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.6 $64.6

$106 $106

-39.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.44 $4.44

$2.65 $2.65

67.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.72 $1.72

9.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.21 $36.21

$29.72 $29.72

21.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.48 $1.48

$1.49 $1.49

-0.67%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$35.9K $35.9K

-24.13%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

0.02%

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

$213 $213

$302 $302

-29.47%

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

$84.5 $84.5

$70.1 $70.1

20.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.2 $73.2

$85.3 $85.3

-14.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.78 $40.78

$77.8 $77.8

-47.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 $12.13

$17.84 $17.84

-32.01%

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

$1,391 $1,391

$2,973 $2,973

-53.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.3K $43.3K

$31.3K $31.3K

38.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.0 $75.0

$76.6 $76.6

-2.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 $40.26

$54.1 $54.1

-25.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 $88.4

$128 $128

-31.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$120 $120

$164 $164

-26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,588 $2,588

$2,445 $2,445

5.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,043 $2,043

$1,947 $1,947

4.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,005 $4,005

$4,744 $4,744

-15.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,069 $4,069

$3,469 $3,469

17.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,472 $5,472

$7,367 $7,367

-25.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,578 $4,578

$6,506 $6,506

-29.63%

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 Fullerton, CA: October 18, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Fullerton, CA

$2K 58.3%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 4.7% $96

Groceries & Markets

Fullerton, CA

$413 11.8%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 32% $132

Eating Out

Fullerton, CA

$382 10.9%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 4.7% $18

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Fullerton, CA

$371 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 23.4% $87

Clothing & Footwear

Fullerton, CA

$146 4.2%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 30.7% $45

Getting Around

Fullerton, CA

$88 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 47.6% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Fullerton, CA

$65 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 74.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,588 in Fullerton, 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 42% 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 $79.0 in Fullerton, CA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $546 – making Fullerton, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:23 6:23 AM

Same time as Fullerton, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

135,161

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

Fullerton, CA Seattle, WA 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Fullerton, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, $3,782 in Seattle, WA – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,260 per month in Fullerton, 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 Fullerton, CA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,391 per month in Fullerton, CA and $2,973 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,507 in Fullerton, CA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,507 in Fullerton, CA to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Fullerton, 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.