Cost of Living Comparison Between Modesto, CA and Rhodes Cost of Living Comparison Between Modesto, CA and Rhodes

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,650 per month in Modesto, CA vs $1,688 in Rhodes, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,106 per month in Modesto, CA vs $2,653 in Rhodes, rent included.

A family of three spends $5,561 per month in Modesto, CA vs $3,618 in Rhodes, rent included.

Modesto, CA costs about 57% more than Rhodes, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Modesto, CA and Rhodes sit above the global median – Modesto, CA by 98%, Rhodes by 26%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.10 $15.10

$17.15 €14.76

-11.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$80.4 $80.4

$65.7 €56.5

22.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 $8.84

$9.36 €8.05

-5.56%

Cappuccino

$5.66 $5.66

$4.35 €3.74

30.11%

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

$2.68 $2.68

$2.42 €2.08

10.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$0.68 €0.58

144.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.75 €4.95

-12.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.20 $7.20

$4.59 €3.95

56.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.12 $1.12

$2.17 €1.87

-48.39%

White Bread (500g)

$3.60 $3.60

$2.06 €1.77

74.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$4.92 €4.23

-35.98%

Eggs

$4.99 $4.99

$5.97 €5.14

-16.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.86 $12.86

$17.51 €15.06

-26.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.62 $14.62

$16.67 €14.34

-12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.50 $19.50

$16.48 €14.18

18.33%

Apples (1kg)

$6.27 $6.27

$2.27 €1.95

176.21%

Banana (1kg)

$2.52 $2.52

$1.98 €1.71

27.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.97 $4.97

$1.50 €1.29

231.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$2.51 €2.16

159.76%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$1.91 €1.64

86.91%

Onion (1kg)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.11 €1.81

101.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.03 $3.03

$1.34 €1.16

126.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$0.78 €0.67

260.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.12 $10.12

$5.26 €4.53

92.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.26 $15.26

$8.15 €7.01

87.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.91 $1.91

$2.63 €2.26

-27.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 $3.42

$2.67 €2.30

28.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.03 $2.03

$2.29 €1.97

-11.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.22 $40.22

$92.2 €79.3

-56.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.56 $3.56

$4.56 €3.92

-21.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.08 $2.08

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.40 $30.40

$11.40 €9.81

166.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.16 €1.85

-42.13%

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

$27.3K $27.3K

$34.6K €29.8K

-21.09%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.4K €22.7K

0.80%

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

$287 $287

$173 €149

66.46%

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

$49.26 $49.26

$21.16 €18.20

132.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.0 $63.0

$28.66 €24.65

119.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.92 $41.92

$60.7 €52.3

-30.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.95 $14.95

$11.53 €9.92

29.66%

Cinema Ticket

$11.07 $11.07

$9.29 €7.99

19.16%

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

$1,952 $1,952

$403 €347

384.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.9K $25.9K

$5,972 €5,137

333.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.56 $47.56

$177 €152

-73.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.84 $39.84

$43.84 €37.71

-9.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 $89.1

$108 €92.8

-17.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$129 $129

$174 €150

-25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,429 $1,429

$576 €495

148.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,261 $1,261

$422 €363

199.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,426 $2,426

$968 €833

150.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,401 $2,401

$688 €591

249.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,192 $3,192

$3,912 €3,365

-18.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,184 $3,184

$1,794 €1,543

77.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,035 $4,035

$1,387 €1,193

190.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.51

4.7

38.51%

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

Last update for Modesto, CA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Rhodes: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,429 in Modesto, CA versus $576 in Rhodes. 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 191% higher in Modesto, 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 $80.0 in Modesto, CA versus $66.0 in Rhodes. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $461 vs $372 – making Rhodes the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Modesto, CA vs Rhodes: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Modesto, CA costs about 57% more than Rhodes, with the gap driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,975 per month in Modesto, CA and $2,531 in Rhodes. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rhodes, 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 $2,650 in Modesto, CA and $1,688 in Rhodes. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 129% less in Rhodes. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,500 monthly budget goes further in Rhodes, where all-in costs run around $1,688, than in Modesto, CA at $2,650. In Rhodes it covers expenses comfortably, while in Modesto, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

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 Rhodes. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Modesto, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.