Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Pasadena, CA: $3,590 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

173

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

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

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Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,590

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,590 per month in Pasadena, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Pasadena, CA $3,590
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $5,100 per month in Pasadena, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Pasadena, CA $5,100
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $6,609 per month in Pasadena, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Pasadena, CA $6,609
Seattle, WA $7,592

Pasadena, CA is about 5% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Pasadena, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Pasadena, CA by 164%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.03 $18.03

$25.30 $25.30

-28.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$76.4 $76.4

$101 $101

-24.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.91 $9.91

$14.76 $14.76

-32.86%

Cappuccino

$4.81 $4.81

$6.50 $6.50

-26.00%

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

$2.78 $2.78

$3.21 $3.21

-13.40%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 $1.58

$3.14 $3.14

-49.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.94 $4.94

$7.97 $7.97

-38.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.87 $5.87

$8.13 $8.13

-27.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.17 $1.17

14.53%

White Bread (500g)

$3.87 $3.87

$5.30 $5.30

-26.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.81 $2.81

$6.40 $6.40

-56.09%

Eggs

$5.20 $5.20

$5.06 $5.06

2.77%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.81 $13.81

$18.71 $18.71

-26.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.48 $13.48

$18.72 $18.72

-27.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.44 $12.44

$22.88 $22.88

-45.63%

Apples (1kg)

$4.72 $4.72

$6.06 $6.06

-22.11%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.95 $1.95

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.37 $4.37

$5.51 $5.51

-20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 $6.01

$6.52 $6.52

-7.82%

Potato (1kg)

$4.50 $4.50

$3.49 $3.49

28.94%

Onion (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$3.29 $3.29

-27.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.86 $1.86

$2.80 $2.80

-33.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.15 $2.15

$2.58 $2.58

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.92 $11.92

$12.49 $12.49

-4.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.89 $10.89

$14.87 $14.87

-26.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$4.19 $4.19

-60.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$5.80 $5.80

-68.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.05 $3.05

-43.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$51.0 $51.0

$106 $106

-51.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.41 $3.41

$2.58 $2.58

32.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.64 $1.64

15.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$24.30 $24.30

$30.12 $30.12

-19.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.59 $1.59

$1.41 $1.41

12.77%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$36.8K $36.8K

-24.76%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

-3.41%

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

$249 $249

$308 $308

-18.98%

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

$59.5 $59.5

$69.2 $69.2

-13.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$65.9 $65.9

$86.1 $86.1

-23.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.12 $25.12

$76.5 $76.5

-67.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.52 $34.52

$35.50 $35.50

-2.76%

Cinema Ticket

$12.12 $12.12

$18.02 $18.02

-32.74%

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

$3,909 $3,909

$2,746 $2,746

42.36%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.7K $14.7K

$30.6K $30.6K

-51.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$31.13 $31.13

$79.2 $79.2

-60.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.65 $34.65

$54.3 $54.3

-36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.8 $70.8

$127 $127

-44.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$141 $141

$159 $159

-11.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,070 $3,070

$2,508 $2,508

22.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,285 $2,285

$1,938 $1,938

17.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,691 $4,691

$5,117 $5,117

-8.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,729 $3,729

$3,542 $3,542

5.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,964 $8,964

$7,374 $7,374

21.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$9,058 $9,058

$5,002 $5,002

81.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$5,466 $5,466

$6,470 $6,470

-15.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

6.89

-8.13%

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

Last update for Pasadena, 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

Pasadena, CA

$2.3K 63.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 15.2% $346

Groceries & Markets

Pasadena, CA

$400 11.2%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 36.7% $147

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pasadena, CA

$375 10.4%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 23.5% $88

Eating Out

Pasadena, CA

$286 8%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 42.3% $121

Clothing & Footwear

Pasadena, CA

$125 3.5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 51% $64

Getting Around

Pasadena, CA

$71 2%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 82.4% $58

Sport & Entertainment

Pasadena, CA

$49 1.4%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 128% $63

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,070 in Pasadena, 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 18% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $76 in Pasadena, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $400 vs $547 – making Pasadena, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

12:48 12:48 PM

Same time as Pasadena, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

137,122

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Pasadena, CA Seattle, WA 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Pasadena, 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

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,590 in Pasadena, CA, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Pasadena, CA comes out roughly 5% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,385 per month in Pasadena, 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 $3,070 in Pasadena, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,590 in Pasadena, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. That makes Pasadena, CA about 5% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 52% less in Pasadena, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,590 in Pasadena, 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. Pasadena, CA costs $3,590 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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