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: $3,293 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,401 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,341 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,013 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,388 in Puyallup, WA versus $6,624 in Santa Rosa, CA.

Living in Puyallup, WA costs roughly 3% less than in Santa Rosa, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 146% above, Santa Rosa, CA 155% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$22.88 $22.88

8.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 $71.1

$78.5 $78.5

-9.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.80 $13.80

$12.20 $12.20

13.11%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$4.97 $4.97

23.94%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$2.86 $2.86

1.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.89 $2.89

-13.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 $7.66

$7.35 $7.35

4.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$8.75 $8.75

-10.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.22 $1.22

-4.92%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.80 $4.80

-10.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$4.27 $4.27

52.22%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$5.20 $5.20

1.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 $17.88

$16.76 $16.76

6.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$11.31 $11.31

40.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$20.47 $20.47

-1.07%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$7.71 $7.71

-32.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.85 $2.85

-40.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$8.02 $8.02

-36.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$8.31 $8.31

-25.51%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$4.01 $4.01

-22.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$3.79 $3.79

-12.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 $2.71

$3.10 $3.10

-12.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.12 $2.12

19.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 $10.87

$12.23 $12.23

-11.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 $17.86

$11.95 $11.95

49.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.74 $1.74

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 $4.21

$2.64 $2.64

59.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.70 $2.70

8.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.57 $29.57

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.07 $4.07

-34.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.85 $1.85

9.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.04 $30.04

$28.87 $28.87

4.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.29 $1.29

-6.98%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$34.3K $34.3K

-4.38%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

-6.97%

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

$264 $264

$246 $246

7.05%

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

$71.1 $71.1

$49.62 $49.62

43.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 $75.0

$73.0 $73.0

2.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.60 $29.60

$64.6 $64.6

-54.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.88 $14.88

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 $15.71

$14.17 $14.17

10.87%

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

$2,080 $2,080

$1,900 $1,900

9.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.9K $28.9K

$40.5K $40.5K

-28.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$59.1 $59.1

0.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 $44.04

$43.98 $43.98

0.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$109 $109

-14.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$131 $131

3.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$2,307 $2,307

-22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 $1,746

$1,879 $1,879

-7.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 $2,288

$3,717 $3,717

-38.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 $2,080

$3,170 $3,170

-34.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,579 $4,579

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,697 $4,697

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,769 $6,769

$4,728 $4,728

43.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.52

-1.53%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Santa Rosa, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Puyallup, WA and $2,307 in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $71.0 in Puyallup, WA vs $78.0 in Santa Rosa, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $494 vs $491, 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

Puyallup, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 3% lower than in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puyallup, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $1,784 in Puyallup, WA versus $2,307 in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,080 in Puyallup, WA versus $1,900 in Santa Rosa, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Puyallup, WA – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $78.0 in Santa Rosa, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Puyallup, WA 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 Puyallup, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puyallup, WA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Puyallup, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Santa Rosa, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.