Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Monterey, CA and in Seattle, WA: $3,616 and $3,782 a month, rent and utilities included.

173

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

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

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Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,616

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,616 per month in Monterey, CA vs $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Monterey, CA $3,616
Seattle, WA $3,782

A couple spends around $5,349 per month in Monterey, CA vs $5,636 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Monterey, CA $5,349
Seattle, WA $5,636

A family of three spends $7,082 per month in Monterey, CA vs $7,489 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Monterey, CA $7,082
Seattle, WA $7,489

Monterey, CA is about 4% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Monterey, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Monterey, CA by 167%, Seattle, WA by 179%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.27 $20.27

$24.52 $24.52

-17.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.6 $78.6

$98.2 $98.2

-19.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 $12.10

$14.79 $14.79

-18.19%

Cappuccino

$5.22 $5.22

$6.52 $6.52

-19.94%

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

$3.20 $3.20

$3.23 $3.23

-0.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 $1.62

$3.17 $3.17

-48.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.45 $5.45

$7.85 $7.85

-30.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.06 $6.06

$8.03 $8.03

-24.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.21 $1.21

36.36%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 $3.17

$5.14 $5.14

-38.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$6.05 $6.05

-56.53%

Eggs

$4.57 $4.57

$4.88 $4.88

-6.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.57 $9.57

$19.18 $19.18

-50.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.38 $13.38

$18.91 $18.91

-29.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$23.31 $23.31

-73.75%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 $3.66

$5.99 $5.99

-38.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.93 $1.93

-37.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.22 $3.22

$5.25 $5.25

-38.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.00 $4.00

$6.57 $6.57

-39.12%

Potato (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$3.62 $3.62

-24.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$3.31 $3.31

-40.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.74 $1.74

$2.78 $2.78

-37.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.25 $1.25

$2.51 $2.51

-50.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.59 $11.59

$12.18 $12.18

-4.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.31 $17.31

$14.83 $14.83

16.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$4.22 $4.22

-35.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$5.77 $5.77

-67.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$2.95 $2.95

-31.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.9 $52.9

$106 $106

-50.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 $1.58

$2.65 $2.65

-40.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.72 $1.72

-44.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.04 $35.04

$29.72 $29.72

17.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.53 $1.53

$1.49 $1.49

2.68%

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

$28.9K $28.9K

$35.9K $35.9K

-19.52%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$26.2K $26.2K

-1.73%

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

$238 $238

$302 $302

-21.12%

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

$75.1 $75.1

$70.1 $70.1

7.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$71.7 $71.7

$85.3 $85.3

-15.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$84.1 $84.1

$77.8 $77.8

8.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.63 $10.63

$34.58 $34.58

-69.26%

Cinema Ticket

$12.75 $12.75

$17.84 $17.84

-28.53%

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

$555 $555

$2,973 $2,973

-81.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.5K $12.5K

$31.3K $31.3K

-59.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 $76.8

$76.6 $76.6

0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$90.2 $90.2

$54.1 $54.1

66.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 $129

$128 $128

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$164 $164

-18.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 $2,490

$2,445 $2,445

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,205 $2,205

$1,947 $1,947

13.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,056 $4,056

$4,744 $4,744

-14.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,027 $4,027

$3,469 $3,469

16.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,909 $7,909

$7,367 $7,367

7.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,838 $5,838

$5,127 $5,127

13.86%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,771 $4,771

$6,506 $6,506

-26.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.62

6.89

-3.92%

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

Last update for Monterey, CA: October 20, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Monterey, CA

$2.2K 61%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 11.7% $259

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Monterey, CA

$385 10.6%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 18.8% $72

Groceries & Markets

Monterey, CA

$335 9.3%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 62.6% $210

Eating Out

Monterey, CA

$320 8.8%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 25% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Monterey, CA

$194 5.4%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 1.7% $3.3

Sport & Entertainment

Monterey, CA

$110 3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 3.6% $3.9

Getting Around

Monterey, CA

$67 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 92.2% $62

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,490 in Monterey, 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 36% 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 Monterey, CA versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $335 vs $546 – making Monterey, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:16 6:16 AM

Same time as Monterey, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

28,803

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

Monterey, CA Seattle, WA 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Monterey, 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

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,424 per month in Monterey, 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 Monterey, CA, 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 $3,616 in Monterey, CA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 5%.

Public transport costs about 101% less in Monterey, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,616 in Monterey, CA and $3,782 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Monterey, CA – 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 Monterey, 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.