Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Forest, CA and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Lake Forest, CA and Seattle, WA

🙂 Solo nomad: Lake Forest, CA is 18.9% cheaper than Seattle, WA without rent, and 19.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Lake Forest, CA is 16% cheaper than Seattle, WA without rent, and 19.2% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.57 $24.57

$25.11 $25.11

-2.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$118 $118

-15.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.11 $10.11

$13.84 $13.84

-26.95%

Cappuccino

$5.91 $5.91

$5.8 $5.8

1.90%

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

$2.72 $2.72

$2.95 $2.95

-7.80%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.24 $2.24

$2.51 $2.51

-10.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.48 $8.48

$7.81 $7.81

8.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.84 $8.84

$7.84 $7.84

12.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.24 $1.24

$1.34 $1.34

-7.46%

White Bread (500g)

$4.27 $4.27

$4.98 $4.98

-14.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.61 $4.61

$5.35 $5.35

-13.83%

Eggs

$4.47 $4.47

$6.91 $6.91

-35.31%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.47 $12.47

$24.8 $24.8

-49.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.03 $17.03

$15.74 $15.74

8.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.22 $19.22

$20.84 $20.84

-7.77%

Apples (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$6.05 $6.05

8.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.9 $1.9

$2.75 $2.75

-30.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$5.47 $5.47

-24.31%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.42 $5.42

$6.45 $6.45

-15.97%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.11 $3.11

3.22%

Onion (1kg)

$3.08 $3.08

$3.69 $3.69

-16.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.78 $2.78

-31.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.52 $2.52

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$9.75 $9.75

$11.64 $11.64

-16.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$19.65 $19.65

$17.15 $17.15

14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.94 $2.94

-40.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.9 $3.9

$4.19 $4.19

-6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.8 $2.8

22.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$101 $101

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.04 $3.04

$2.68 $2.68

13.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.68 $2.68

$1.65 $1.65

62.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.53 $29.53

$30.13 $30.13

-1.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.16 $1.16

11.21%

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

$28.5K $28.5K

$33.3K $33.3K

-14.56%

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

$26.5K $26.5K

$26.3K $26.3K

0.91%

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

$202 $202

$271 $271

-25.28%

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

$54.8 $54.8

$61.8 $61.8

-11.36%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.9 $71.9

$75.2 $75.2

-4.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51 $51

$78.4 $78.4

-34.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.04 $41.04

Cinema Ticket

$17.17 $17.17

$15.89 $15.89

8.06%

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

$1,823 $1,823

$2,248 $2,248

-18.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.1K $24.1K

$29K $29K

-16.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.2 $62.2

$69.5 $69.5

-10.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.13 $41.13

$52.5 $52.5

-21.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$103 $103

$120 $120

-13.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$150 $150

$142 $142

5.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,433 $1,433

$2,376 $2,376

-39.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,501 $1,501

$1,829 $1,829

-17.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,096 $3,096

$4,702 $4,702

-34.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,805 $2,805

$3,474 $3,474

-19.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,100 $8,100

$6,928 $6,928

16.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,128 $7,128

$5,224 $5,224

36.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,899 $6,899

$6,473 $6,473

6.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.49

6.42

1.09%

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

Last update for Lake Forest, CA: October 28, 2025

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 29, 2025

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