Cost of Living Comparison Between Puyallup, WA and Santa Rosa, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Puyallup, WA and Santa Rosa, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,608 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,426 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,127 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,046 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,646 in Puyallup, WA versus $6,667 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Living in Puyallup, WA is roughly 5% more expensive than in Santa Rosa, CA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 163% above, Santa Rosa, CA 149% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$27.48 $27.48

-10.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$88.6 $88.6

-10.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$12.10 $12.10

24.30%

Cappuccino

$6.34 $6.34

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

$3.25 $3.25

$3.54 $3.54

-8.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.31 $3.31

-12.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$7.83 $7.83

-0.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$8.36 $8.36

-3.23%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.42 $1.42

-19.01%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.23 $4.23

5.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.81 $4.81

28.07%

Eggs

$5.31 $5.31

$5.33 $5.33

-0.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$20.53 $20.53

-9.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$14.42 $14.42

30.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.50 $23.50

$20.59 $20.59

14.13%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$5.02 $5.02

15.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$2.72 $2.72

-34.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$8.03 $8.03

-35.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$6.99 $6.99

-5.87%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.77 $3.77

1.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.56 $3.56

-7.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$3.05 $3.05

-15.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$1.73 $1.73

48.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$11.82 $11.82

0.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 $17.98

$11.82 $11.82

52.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.79 $1.79

-2.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$2.38 $2.38

104.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.09 $2.09

139.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$174 $174

$39.35 $39.35

341.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$3.95 $3.95

-33.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.94 $1.94

-13.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 $29.73

$28.94 $28.94

2.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.39 $1.39

-7.19%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.8K $36.8K

-2.28%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.2K $27.2K

1.23%

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

$283 $283

$185 $185

53.23%

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

$93.4 $93.4

$50.3 $50.3

85.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 $87.3

$71.2 $71.2

22.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 $72.2

$69.3 $69.3

4.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$14.13 $14.13

41.68%

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 $18.20

$14.28 $14.28

27.45%

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

$2,968 $2,968

$1,262 $1,262

135.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$40.2K $40.2K

-22.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 $61.9

$49.13 $49.13

26.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.97 $44.97

$41.29 $41.29

8.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$109 $109

16.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$127 $127

25.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,891 $1,891

$2,342 $2,342

-19.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 $1,752

$1,887 $1,887

-7.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 $2,719

$3,669 $3,669

-25.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$3,079 $3,079

-19.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,701 $4,701

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,810 $4,810

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,908 $6,908

$4,614 $4,614

49.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.12

1.96%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa, CA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,891 in Puyallup, WA and $2,342 in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 50% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $80.0 in Puyallup, WA vs $89.0 in Santa Rosa, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $529 vs $490, with Santa Rosa, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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

Puyallup, WA vs Santa Rosa, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Santa Rosa, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Puyallup, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Rosa, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Puyallup, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,891 in Puyallup, WA versus $2,342 in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Puyallup, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Rosa, CA – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $80.0 in Puyallup, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Santa Rosa, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Santa Rosa, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,426 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Rosa, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Santa Rosa, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Puyallup, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.