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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,293 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,293 in Tacoma, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,341 in Puyallup, WA versus $4,590 in Tacoma, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $5,388 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,888 in Tacoma, WA.

Monthly costs are close between Puyallup, WA and Tacoma, WA; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 146% above, Tacoma, WA 146% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.86 $24.86

$16.56 $16.56

50.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.1 $71.1

$71.3 $71.3

-0.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.80 $13.80

$12.67 $12.67

8.92%

Cappuccino

$6.16 $6.16

$6.03 $6.03

2.16%

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

$2.89 $2.89

$2.97 $2.97

-2.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.22 $2.22

13.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.66 $7.66

$7.57 $7.57

1.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$11.98 $11.98

-34.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.16 $1.16

$1.11 $1.11

4.50%

White Bread (500g)

$4.31 $4.31

$4.23 $4.23

1.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.50 $6.50

$8.30 $8.30

-21.69%

Eggs

$5.29 $5.29

$4.91 $4.91

7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.88 $17.88

$11.37 $11.37

57.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.91 $15.91

$16.12 $16.12

-1.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$19.23 $19.23

5.30%

Apples (1kg)

$5.22 $5.22

$5.24 $5.24

-0.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 $1.70

$1.66 $1.66

2.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$4.91 $4.91

4.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$5.11 $5.11

21.14%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.24 $3.24

-4.01%

Onion (1kg)

$3.33 $3.33

$2.83 $2.83

17.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.97 $1.97

37.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.54 $2.54

$2.94 $2.94

-13.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$10.87 $10.87

$10.88 $10.88

-0.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.86 $17.86

$18.24 $18.24

-2.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$1.68 $1.68

4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.21 $4.21

$6.51 $6.51

-35.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.92 $2.92

$2.56 $2.56

14.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$60.9 $60.9

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$2.62 $2.62

1.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.03 $2.03

$1.64 $1.64

23.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.04 $30.04

$29.62 $29.62

1.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 $1.20

$1.21 $1.21

-0.83%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$37.2K $37.2K

-11.82%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$27.3K $27.3K

-5.39%

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

$264 $264

$227 $227

16.02%

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

$71.1 $71.1

$71.5 $71.5

-0.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.0 $75.0

$87.3 $87.3

-14.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$29.60 $29.60

$50.8 $50.8

-41.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 $14.84

Cinema Ticket

$15.71 $15.71

$15.78 $15.78

-0.44%

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

$2,080 $2,080

$2,069 $2,069

0.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.9K $28.9K

$31.9K $31.9K

-9.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.7 $59.7

$58.1 $58.1

2.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.04 $44.04

$45.22 $45.22

-2.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.2 $93.2

$87.5 $87.5

6.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$135 $135

$138 $138

-2.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,784 $1,784

$1,925 $1,925

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,746 $1,746

$1,749 $1,749

-0.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,288 $2,288

$3,109 $3,109

-26.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,080 $2,080

$2,749 $2,749

-24.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,758 $4,758

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,519 $3,519

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,769 $6,769

$4,884 $4,884

38.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.51

-1.38%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: July 14, 2026

Last update for Tacoma, WA: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,784 in Puyallup, WA and $1,925 in Tacoma, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 39% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $71.0 in Puyallup, WA vs $71.0 in Tacoma, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $494 vs $476, with Tacoma, WA 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 Tacoma, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 39% 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 $1,925 in Tacoma, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 4% higher in Puyallup, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Tacoma, WA – a meal for two runs $71.0 versus $71.0 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. Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,293 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tacoma, WA hard to pass up.

It comes down to priorities – Tacoma, WA wins on affordability, Puyallup, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.