Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Modesto, CA: $2,708 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

130

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

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

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Modesto, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,708

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,708 per month in Modesto, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Modesto, CA $2,708
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $3,910 per month in Modesto, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Modesto, CA $3,910
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $5,112 per month in Modesto, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Modesto, CA $5,112
Seattle, WA $7,592

Modesto, CA is about 28% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Modesto, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Modesto, CA by 99%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.19 $15.19

$25.30 $25.30

-39.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.2 $79.2

$101 $101

-21.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.88 $8.88

$14.76 $14.76

-39.84%

Cappuccino

$5.39 $5.39

$6.50 $6.50

-17.08%

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

$2.61 $2.61

$3.21 $3.21

-18.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.14 $3.14

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.07 $5.07

$7.97 $7.97

-36.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.12 $7.12

$8.13 $8.13

-12.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 $1.05

$1.17 $1.17

-10.26%

White Bread (500g)

$3.65 $3.65

$5.30 $5.30

-31.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.09 $4.09

$6.40 $6.40

-36.09%

Eggs

$5.54 $5.54

$5.06 $5.06

9.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 $12.89

$18.71 $18.71

-31.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.35 $13.35

$18.72 $18.72

-28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.65 $19.65

$22.88 $22.88

-14.12%

Apples (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$6.06 $6.06

-11.22%

Banana (1kg)

$2.01 $2.01

$1.95 $1.95

3.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.54 $5.54

$5.51 $5.51

0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.46 $5.46

$6.52 $6.52

-16.26%

Potato (1kg)

$3.53 $3.53

$3.49 $3.49

1.15%

Onion (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$3.29 $3.29

-10.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.80 $2.80

-13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.55 $2.55

$2.58 $2.58

-1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.56 $11.56

$12.49 $12.49

-7.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.25 $15.25

$14.87 $14.87

2.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.88 $1.88

$4.19 $4.19

-55.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.33 $3.33

$5.80 $5.80

-42.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.05 $3.05

-35.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.49 $40.49

$106 $106

-61.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.58 $2.58

32.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.64 $1.64

85.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.56 $30.56

$30.12 $30.12

1.46%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.41 $1.41

1.42%

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

$36.9K $36.9K

$36.8K $36.8K

0.33%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.27%

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

$257 $257

$308 $308

-16.46%

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

$48.45 $48.45

$69.2 $69.2

-29.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$68.6 $68.6

$86.1 $86.1

-20.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.85 $37.85

$76.5 $76.5

-50.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.77 $14.77

$35.50 $35.50

-58.39%

Cinema Ticket

$11.21 $11.21

$18.02 $18.02

-37.79%

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

$1,836 $1,836

$2,746 $2,746

-33.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.6K $40.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

32.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$47.86 $47.86

$79.2 $79.2

-39.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.21 $39.21

$54.3 $54.3

-27.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$95.1 $95.1

$127 $127

-25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 $121

$159 $159

-23.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,302 $1,302

$2,508 $2,508

-48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,359 $1,359

$1,938 $1,938

-29.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,824 $1,824

$5,117 $5,117

-64.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,155 $2,155

$3,542 $3,542

-39.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,619 $3,619

$7,374 $7,374

-50.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,962 $2,962

$5,002 $5,002

-40.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,071 $4,071

$6,470 $6,470

-37.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.1

6.89

-11.47%

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

Last update for Modesto, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Modesto, CA

$1.4K 50.2%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 42.6% $579

Groceries & Markets

Modesto, CA

$442 16.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 23.8% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Modesto, CA

$374 13.8%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 23.7% $89

Eating Out

Modesto, CA

$269 9.9%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 50.9% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Modesto, CA

$136 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 38.3% $52

Getting Around

Modesto, CA

$67 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 92.5% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Modesto, CA

$60 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 86.6% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,302 in Modesto, CA versus $2,508 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 59% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79 in Modesto, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $442 vs $547 – making Modesto, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Modesto, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

07:02 7:02 AM

Same time as Modesto, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

211,266

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Modesto, CA Seattle, WA 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Modesto, CA
Seattle, 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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Modesto, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,062 per month in Modesto, CA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Modesto, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,302 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $2,708 in Modesto, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That’s a gap of about 40%.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Modesto, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,708 in Modesto, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Modesto, 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.