Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Palm Springs, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Palm Springs, CA: $2,926 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $10,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Palm Springs, CA
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Palm Springs, CA Living Index
185

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

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Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,926

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $2,926 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $2,926
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $4,653 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $4,653
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $6,380 per month in Palm Springs, CA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Palm Springs, CA $6,380
Seattle, WA $7,603

Palm Springs, CA is about 23% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Palm Springs, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Palm Springs, CA by 117%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$30.42 $30.42

$25.32 $25.32

20.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$75.2 $75.2

$101 $101

-25.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$14.85 $14.85

-33.27%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$6.59 $6.59

-16.54%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$3.22 $3.22

-13.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.14 $3.14

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.89 $4.89

$8.18 $8.18

-40.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.76 $5.76

$8.03 $8.03

-28.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.21 $1.21

9.92%

White Bread (500g)

$3.81 $3.81

$5.12 $5.12

-25.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.93 $2.93

$6.30 $6.30

-53.49%

Eggs

$5.81 $5.81

$4.90 $4.90

18.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.03 $14.03

$19.10 $19.10

-26.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$18.50 $18.50

-27.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.53 $12.53

$23.03 $23.03

-45.59%

Apples (1kg)

$5.02 $5.02

$5.81 $5.81

-13.60%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.95 $1.95

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.29 $5.29

-16.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.85 $4.85

$6.48 $6.48

-25.15%

Potato (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$3.57 $3.57

28.57%

Onion (1kg)

$4.18 $4.18

$3.15 $3.15

32.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.85 $2.85

-24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$2.42 $2.42

-5.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$12.75 $12.75

-7.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.74 $13.74

$14.99 $14.99

-8.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.67 $1.67

$4.17 $4.17

-59.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.68 $2.68

$5.99 $5.99

-55.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.73 $1.73

$3.04 $3.04

-43.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.40 $33.40

$110 $110

-69.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.36 $3.36

$2.55 $2.55

31.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.81 $1.81

$1.64 $1.64

10.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$23.53 $23.53

$29.58 $29.58

-20.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.42 $1.42

-3.52%

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

$33.5K $33.5K

$35.7K $35.7K

-6.32%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.6K $25.6K

2.41%

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

$246 $246

$299 $299

-17.85%

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

$79.7 $79.7

$70.8 $70.8

12.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.7 $65.7

$88.3 $88.3

-25.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.53 $32.53

$79.5 $79.5

-59.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$50.1 $50.1

$35.37 $35.37

41.50%

Cinema Ticket

$12.13 $12.13

$17.12 $17.12

-29.15%

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

$541 $541

$3,013 $3,013

-82.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,450 $8,450

$31.6K $31.6K

-73.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.22 $31.22

$77.2 $77.2

-59.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.74 $34.74

$55.1 $55.1

-36.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 $70.9

$126 $126

-43.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$140 $140

$163 $163

-14.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,877 $1,877

$2,464 $2,464

-23.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,496 $1,496

$1,956 $1,956

-23.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,686 $3,686

$4,711 $4,711

-21.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,207 $3,207

$3,550 $3,550

-9.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,980 $4,980

$7,346 $7,346

-32.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,329 $3,329

$5,048 $5,048

-34.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,813 $4,813

$6,286 $6,286

-23.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.68

6.85

-2.48%

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

Last update for Palm Springs, CA: October 11, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Palm Springs, CA

$1.5K 51.1%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 30.8% $460

Groceries & Markets

Palm Springs, CA

$413 14.1%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 31.1% $128

Eating Out

Palm Springs, CA

$392 13.4%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 4.1% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Palm Springs, CA

$391 13.4%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 17.2% $67

Clothing & Footwear

Palm Springs, CA

$125 4.3%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 52% $65

Sport & Entertainment

Palm Springs, CA

$57 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 100% $57

Getting Around

Palm Springs, CA

$53 1.8%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 152% $80

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,877 in Palm Springs, CA versus $2,464 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 31% 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 $75.0 in Palm Springs, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $413 vs $542 – making Palm Springs, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Palm Springs, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

21:20 9:20 PM

Same time as Palm Springs, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

44,575

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Palm Springs, CA Seattle, WA 1,610 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Palm Springs, 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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 30% more than Palm Springs, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,390 per month in Palm Springs, CA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Palm Springs, 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 $2,926 in Palm Springs, CA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. That's a gap of about 30%.

Public transport costs about 230% less in Palm Springs, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $2,926 in Palm Springs, CA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Palm Springs, CA costs $2,926 versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Palm Springs, 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.