Cost of Living Comparison Between Puyallup, WA and Seattle, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Puyallup, WA and Seattle, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,283 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,598 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,355 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,539 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,427 in Puyallup, WA versus $7,479 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Puyallup, WA costs roughly 9% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 145% above, Seattle, WA 168% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.75 $24.75

$24.80 $24.80

-0.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$72.2 $72.2

$118 $118

-38.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$13.77 $13.77

2.76%

Cappuccino

$6.22 $6.22

$5.71 $5.71

8.93%

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

$3.00 $3.00

$3.05 $3.05

-1.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.41 $2.41

$2.50 $2.50

-3.60%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.58 $7.58

$7.83 $7.83

-3.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.88 $7.88

-0.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.13 $1.13

$1.35 $1.35

-16.30%

White Bread (500g)

$4.28 $4.28

$5.06 $5.06

-15.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.55 $6.55

$5.39 $5.39

21.52%

Eggs

$5.18 $5.18

$6.85 $6.85

-24.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.15 $18.15

$25.07 $25.07

-27.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.40 $16.40

$15.85 $15.85

3.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.13 $20.13

$20.59 $20.59

-2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$5.06 $5.06

$6.14 $6.14

-17.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$2.82 $2.82

-39.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.51 $5.51

-10.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.56 $6.56

$6.74 $6.74

-2.67%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$3.15 $3.15

1.90%

Onion (1kg)

$3.26 $3.26

$3.82 $3.82

-14.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.69 $2.69

4.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.64 $2.64

-2.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.78 $10.78

$11.65 $11.65

-7.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.09 $18.09

$15.69 $15.69

15.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$2.93 $2.93

-40.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.37 $4.37

$4.24 $4.24

3.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.82 $2.82

0.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 $2.67

$2.60 $2.60

2.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.04 $2.04

$1.72 $1.72

18.60%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 $30.39

$30.22 $30.22

0.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

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

$32.4K $32.4K

$32.7K $32.7K

-1.05%

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

$26.3K $26.3K

$26.1K $26.1K

0.53%

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

$263 $263

0.03%

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

$71.4 $71.4

$60.9 $60.9

17.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.8 $74.8

$75.9 $75.9

-1.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.39 $30.39

$79.6 $79.6

-61.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$15.33 $15.33

$16.27 $16.27

-5.78%

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

$2,063 $2,063

$2,281 $2,281

-9.57%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.2K $29.2K

$29.3K $29.3K

-0.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 $59.6

$68.6 $68.6

-13.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.07 $45.07

$52.0 $52.0

-13.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.5 $91.5

$116 $116

-20.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$136 $136

$143 $143

-5.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,793 $1,793

$2,336 $2,336

-23.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,727 $1,727

$1,863 $1,863

-7.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,290 $2,290

$4,628 $4,628

-50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,133 $2,133

$3,477 $3,477

-38.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,927 $6,927

$6,617 $6,617

4.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: June 1, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,793 in Puyallup, WA and $2,336 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 5% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $72.0 in Puyallup, WA vs $118 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $498 vs $547 per month, with Puyallup, WA cheaper across the board.

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 Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puyallup, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 10% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puyallup, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Puyallup, WA pays 5% more on average, 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: $1,793 in Puyallup, WA versus $2,336 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,063 in Puyallup, WA versus $2,281 in Seattle, WA. 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 $72.0 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. 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 $3,283 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 10% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.