Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Mountain View, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,650 in Mountain View, CA, rent and utilities included – about $10,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Mountain View, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

227

Cost of Living Index in Mountain View, CA
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Mountain View, CA Living Index
184

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

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Mountain View, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,650

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,650 per month in Mountain View, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Mountain View, CA $4,650
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $6,615 per month in Mountain View, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Mountain View, CA $6,615
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $8,580 per month in Mountain View, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Mountain View, CA $8,580
Seattle, WA $7,592

Mountain View, CA costs about 23% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Mountain View, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Mountain View, CA by 242%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.34 $20.34

$25.30 $25.30

-19.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

-0.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.96 $11.96

$14.76 $14.76

-18.97%

Cappuccino

$5.21 $5.21

$6.50 $6.50

-19.85%

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

$2.73 $2.73

$3.21 $3.21

-14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$3.14 $3.14

-13.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.15 $7.15

$7.97 $7.97

-10.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.99 $9.99

$8.13 $8.13

22.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.17 $1.17

8.55%

White Bread (500g)

$4.18 $4.18

$5.30 $5.30

-21.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.68 $4.68

$6.40 $6.40

-26.88%

Eggs

$5.52 $5.52

$5.06 $5.06

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.21 $16.21

$18.71 $18.71

-13.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.71 $11.71

$18.72 $18.72

-37.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.96 $12.96

$22.88 $22.88

-43.36%

Apples (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$6.06 $6.06

-11.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$1.95 $1.95

-3.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.43 $4.43

$5.51 $5.51

-19.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.69 $5.69

$6.52 $6.52

-12.73%

Potato (1kg)

$3.94 $3.94

$3.49 $3.49

12.89%

Onion (1kg)

$5.65 $5.65

$3.29 $3.29

71.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.80 $2.80

-13.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.58 $2.58

1.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.63 $11.63

$12.49 $12.49

-6.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 $12.92

$14.87 $14.87

-13.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$4.19 $4.19

-48.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 $2.45

$5.80 $5.80

-57.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.05 $3.05

-19.02%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$88.6 $88.6

$106 $106

-16.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.91 $3.91

$2.58 $2.58

51.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.87 $4.87

$1.64 $1.64

196.95%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.57 $1.57

$1.41 $1.41

11.35%

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

$27.2K $27.2K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.98%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.11%

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

$288 $288

$308 $308

-6.24%

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

$44.81 $44.81

$69.2 $69.2

-35.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$63.9 $63.9

$86.1 $86.1

-25.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.6 $78.6

$76.5 $76.5

2.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.81 $11.81

$35.50 $35.50

-66.73%

Cinema Ticket

$17.10 $17.10

$18.02 $18.02

-5.11%

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

$2,141 $2,141

$2,746 $2,746

-22.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K $23.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

-22.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.7 $52.7

$79.2 $79.2

-33.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$99.5 $99.5

$54.3 $54.3

83.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$151 $151

$127 $127

19.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$149 $149

$159 $159

-6.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,529 $3,529

$2,508 $2,508

40.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,039 $3,039

$1,938 $1,938

56.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,702 $4,702

$5,117 $5,117

-8.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,009 $5,009

$3,542 $3,542

41.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.9K $11.9K

$7,374 $7,374

61.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.1K $10.1K

$5,002 $5,002

101.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$9,788 $9,788

$6,470 $6,470

51.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.14

6.89

-10.89%

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

Last update for Mountain View, CA: October 24, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Mountain View, CA

$3K 65.4%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 36.2% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

Mountain View, CA

$432 9.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 26.7% $115

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Mountain View, CA

$397 8.5%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 16.5% $66

Eating Out

Mountain View, CA

$339 7.3%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 20% $68

Clothing & Footwear

Mountain View, CA

$203 4.4%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 7.2% $15

Getting Around

Mountain View, CA

$127 2.7%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 1.8% $2.3

Sport & Entertainment

Mountain View, CA

$113 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 0.3% $0.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,529 in Mountain View, 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 51% higher in Mountain View, CA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Mountain View, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $432 vs $547 – making Mountain View, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Mountain View, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

05:49 5:49 AM

Same time as Mountain View, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

82,739

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Mountain View, CA Seattle, WA 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Mountain View, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,650 in Mountain View, CA, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Seattle, WA comes out roughly 19% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,974 per month in Mountain View, 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 Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,529 in Mountain View, CA.

Public transport costs about 16% less in Mountain View, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 21% cheaper in Mountain View, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,650 in Mountain View, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seattle, WA costs $3,785 versus $4,650 in Mountain View, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Seattle, WA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Mountain View, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.