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: $3,608 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,836 in Seattle, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,127 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,763 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,646 in Puyallup, WA versus $7,691 in Seattle, WA.

Living in Puyallup, WA costs roughly 6% less than in Seattle, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 163% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$24.68 $24.68

-0.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$99.1 $99.1

-19.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$15.09 $15.09

-0.33%

Cappuccino

$6.34 $6.34

$6.62 $6.62

-4.23%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$3.13 $3.13

3.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.98 $2.98

-3.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$8.12 $8.12

-3.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$7.85 $7.85

3.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.17 $1.17

-1.71%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$5.20 $5.20

-13.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.40 $6.40

-3.75%

Eggs

$5.31 $5.31

$4.91 $4.91

8.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$21.46 $21.46

-13.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$18.58 $18.58

1.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.50 $23.50

$23.05 $23.05

1.95%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$5.79 $5.79

0.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.88 $1.88

-4.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$5.38 $5.38

-3.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$6.30 $6.30

4.44%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$3.80 $3.80

0.79%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.26 $3.26

1.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$2.87 $2.87

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$2.71 $2.71

-5.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$14.15 $14.15

-16.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 $17.98

$15.07 $15.07

19.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$4.36 $4.36

-59.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$5.75 $5.75

-15.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 $5.01

$3.06 $3.06

63.73%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$174 $174

$110 $110

58.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.57 $2.57

1.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.65 $1.65

1.21%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 $29.73

$29.88 $29.88

-0.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.38 $1.38

-6.52%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.4K $36.4K

-1.40%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$25.1K $25.1K

9.66%

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

$283 $283

$296 $296

-4.42%

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

$93.4 $93.4

$71.3 $71.3

31.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 $87.3

$88.0 $88.0

-0.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 $72.2

$81.5 $81.5

-11.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$35.70 $35.70

-43.92%

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 $18.20

$18.33 $18.33

-0.71%

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

$2,968 $2,968

$3,067 $3,067

-3.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$30.6K $30.6K

2.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 $61.9

$77.0 $77.0

-19.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.97 $44.97

$54.0 $54.0

-16.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$128 $128

-0.13%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$165 $165

-2.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,891 $1,891

$2,418 $2,418

-21.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 $1,752

$1,931 $1,931

-9.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 $2,719

$4,756 $4,756

-42.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$3,584 $3,584

-30.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,403 $7,403

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,056 $5,056

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,908 $6,908

$6,320 $6,320

9.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.42

-2.80%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,891 in Puyallup, WA and $2,418 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 9% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $80.0 in Puyallup, WA vs $99.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $529 vs $554 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 6% 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.

Average pay runs 9% 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 $2,418 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Puyallup, WA – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $99.0 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 $3,608 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 6% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.