Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Los Angeles, CA and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,264 in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,886 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,231 in Los Angeles, CA versus $5,699 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,199 in Los Angeles, CA versus $7,513 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Los Angeles, CA is roughly 10% more expensive than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Los Angeles, CA 209% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.10 $25.10

$25.37 $25.37

-1.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$121 $121

$101 $101

19.87%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.68 $14.68

$14.80 $14.80

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$5.86 $5.86

$6.63 $6.63

-11.61%

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

$3.77 $3.77

$3.08 $3.08

22.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 $2.86

$2.96 $2.96

-3.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.79 $7.79

$7.94 $7.94

-1.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.13 $10.13

$7.88 $7.88

28.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.22 $1.22

10.66%

White Bread (500g)

$4.81 $4.81

$5.14 $5.14

-6.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$6.16 $6.16

-19.97%

Eggs

$5.77 $5.77

$5.08 $5.08

13.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.05 $12.05

$21.31 $21.31

-43.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.65 $15.65

$18.42 $18.42

-15.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.17 $20.17

$23.04 $23.04

-12.46%

Apples (1kg)

$5.43 $5.43

$6.04 $6.04

-10.10%

Banana (1kg)

$2.35 $2.35

$1.88 $1.88

25.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.92 $4.92

$5.20 $5.20

-5.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$6.37 $6.37

-10.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.27 $3.27

$3.78 $3.78

-13.49%

Onion (1kg)

$2.84 $2.84

$3.30 $3.30

-13.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.87 $2.87

-29.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.66 $2.66

-8.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.88 $12.88

$13.91 $13.91

-7.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.95 $14.95

$15.05 $15.05

-0.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.11 $3.11

$4.17 $4.17

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$5.64 $5.64

-50.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.77 $1.77

$2.97 $2.97

-40.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$103 $103

$107 $107

-3.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.57 $2.57

18.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.82 $1.82

$1.65 $1.65

10.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$31.69 $31.69

$29.49 $29.49

7.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.46 $1.46

4.79%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$36.0K $36.0K

2.36%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$25.4K $25.4K

3.54%

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

$294 $294

$306 $306

-3.96%

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

$74.5 $74.5

$70.2 $70.2

6.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$81.8 $81.8

$87.4 $87.4

-6.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.8 $71.8

$79.9 $79.9

-10.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.10 $12.10

$34.74 $34.74

-65.17%

Cinema Ticket

$19.29 $19.29

$17.85 $17.85

8.07%

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

$1,762 $1,762

$3,018 $3,018

-41.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.2K $32.2K

$31.1K $31.1K

3.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.3 $90.3

$76.6 $76.6

17.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 $64.4

$53.8 $53.8

19.54%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$115 $115

$126 $126

-8.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$193 $193

$162 $162

18.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,595 $2,595

$2,456 $2,456

5.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,384 $2,384

$1,981 $1,981

20.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,287 $5,287

$4,881 $4,881

8.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,332 $4,332

$3,625 $3,625

19.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,393 $7,393

$7,376 $7,376

0.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,068 $7,068

$5,007 $5,007

41.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,306 $4,306

$6,165 $6,165

-30.15%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

6.45

0.78%

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

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: September 5, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA and $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $121 in Los Angeles, CA vs $101 in Seattle, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $472 vs $551, with Los Angeles, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

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

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 43% 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: $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA versus $2,456 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 4% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,762 in Los Angeles, CA versus $3,018 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Seattle, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.