Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Pullman, WA and Fullerton, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Pullman, WA: $2,285 a month against $3,469 in Fullerton, CA, rent and utilities included – about $14,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

110

Cost of Living Index in Pullman, WA
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Pullman, WA Living Index
168

Cost of Living Index in Fullerton, CA
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Fullerton, CA Living Index

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Pullman, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,285

/mo nomad

Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,469

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Pullman, WA and in Fullerton, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Pullman, WA and in Fullerton, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $2,285 per month in Pullman, WA vs $3,469 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Pullman, WA $2,285
Fullerton, CA $3,469

A couple spends around $3,359 per month in Pullman, WA vs $5,407 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Pullman, WA $3,359
Fullerton, CA $5,407

A family of three spends $4,434 per month in Pullman, WA vs $7,345 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Pullman, WA $4,434
Fullerton, CA $7,345

Pullman, WA is about 34% cheaper than Fullerton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Pullman, WA and Fullerton, CA sit above the global median – Pullman, WA by 68%, Fullerton, CA by 155%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.30 $16.30

$25.40 $25.40

-35.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.0 $65.0

$78.1 $78.1

-16.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.94 $8.94

$11.52 $11.52

-22.40%

Cappuccino

$4.58 $4.58

$5.62 $5.62

-18.51%

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

$2.18 $2.18

$2.80 $2.80

-22.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$2.03 $2.03

-11.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.42 $5.42

$7.76 $7.76

-30.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.34 $5.34

$9.65 $9.65

-44.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.02 $1.02

$1.35 $1.35

-24.44%

White Bread (500g)

$3.76 $3.76

$5.08 $5.08

-25.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.77 $3.77

$4.30 $4.30

-12.33%

Eggs

$5.53 $5.53

$5.06 $5.06

9.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.82 $20.82

$12.65 $12.65

64.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$13.73 $13.73

$9.02 $9.02

52.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.50 $23.50

$15.39 $15.39

52.70%

Apples (1kg)

$4.84 $4.84

$4.68 $4.68

3.42%

Banana (1kg)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.72 $1.72

21.51%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.44 $3.44

$4.13 $4.13

-16.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.34 $8.34

$6.37 $6.37

30.93%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 $2.68

$3.62 $3.62

-25.97%

Onion (1kg)

$3.04 $3.04

$3.20 $3.20

-5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.45 $3.45

$2.09 $2.09

65.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.72 $2.72

$2.56 $2.56

6.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.37 $8.37

$11.93 $11.93

-29.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.41 $13.41

$15.26 $15.26

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.77 $1.77

-1.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.77 $8.77

$3.12 $3.12

181.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 $0.98

$2.27 $2.27

-56.83%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.90 $29.90

$64.7 $64.7

-53.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.12 $4.12

$4.48 $4.48

-8.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$3.81 $3.81

$1.82 $1.82

109.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$49.85 $49.85

$35.65 $35.65

39.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.07 $1.07

$1.45 $1.45

-26.21%

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

$19.7K $19.7K

$27.8K $27.8K

-29.35%

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

$20.0K $20.0K

$26.4K $26.4K

-24.19%

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

$107 $107

$219 $219

-50.97%

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

$83.7 $83.7

$86.9 $86.9

-3.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$51.2 $51.2

$73.4 $73.4

-30.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.20 $30.20

$39.81 $39.81

-24.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.95 $9.95

Cinema Ticket

$14.80 $14.80

$11.84 $11.84

25.00%

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

$1,208 $1,208

$1,423 $1,423

-15.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.0K $21.0K

$42.9K $42.9K

-51.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 $53.1

$73.0 $73.0

-27.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.25 $22.25

$41.30 $41.30

-46.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$102 $102

$91.8 $91.8

10.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$121 $121

32.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,215 $1,215

$2,598 $2,598

-53.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,016 $1,016

$1,994 $1,994

-49.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,988 $1,988

$4,040 $4,040

-50.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,524 $1,524

$4,127 $4,127

-63.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

$5,397 $5,397

-58.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,218 $2,218

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,454 $3,454

$4,517 $4,517

-23.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.54

6.31

3.65%

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

Last update for Pullman, WA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Pullman, WA

$1K 44.5%

Fullerton, CA

$2K 57.5% 96.3% $978

Groceries & Markets

Pullman, WA

$493 21.6%

Fullerton, CA

$415 12% 15.7% $78

Eating Out

Pullman, WA

$266 11.6%

Fullerton, CA

$383 11% 43.9% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Pullman, WA

$242 10.6%

Fullerton, CA

$379 10.9% 56.5% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Pullman, WA

$152 6.6%

Fullerton, CA

$147 4.2% 2.9% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Pullman, WA

$60 2.6%

Fullerton, CA

$63 1.8% 6.2% $3.7

Getting Around

Pullman, WA

$57 2.5%

Fullerton, CA

$87 2.5% 53.4% $30

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,215 in Pullman, WA versus $2,598 in Fullerton, CA. 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 Fullerton, CA, 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 $65 in Pullman, WA versus $78 in Fullerton, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $493 in Pullman, WA vs $415 in Fullerton, CA – so Fullerton, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Pullman, WA

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🕒 Local time

14:07 2:07 PM

Same time as Pullman, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

32,901

135,161

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Pullman, WA Fullerton, CA 1,430 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Pullman, WA
Fullerton, CA

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

Pullman, WA vs Fullerton, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $2,285 in Pullman, WA, $3,469 in Fullerton, CA – Pullman, WA comes out roughly 34% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $3,428 per month in Pullman, WA and $5,204 in Fullerton, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Pullman, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,215 there versus $2,598 in Fullerton, CA.

Kindergarten costs $1,208 per month in Pullman, WA and $1,423 in Fullerton, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 16% cheaper in Fullerton, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

A $3,000 monthly budget goes further in Pullman, WA, where all-in costs run around $2,285, than in Fullerton, CA at $3,469. In Pullman, WA it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fullerton, CA it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both cities have a reputation for safety. In either place, the choice of neighborhood matters more than the choice between the two cities.

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