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: $3,608 in Puyallup, WA versus $3,007 in Tacoma, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,127 in Puyallup, WA versus $4,409 in Tacoma, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,646 in Puyallup, WA versus $5,811 in Tacoma, WA.

Living in Puyallup, WA is roughly 20% more expensive than in Tacoma, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Puyallup, WA 163% above, Tacoma, WA 119% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$24.97 $24.97

-1.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.6 $79.6

$79.9 $79.9

-0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$15.04 $15.04

$11.94 $11.94

25.96%

Cappuccino

$6.34 $6.34

$5.68 $5.68

11.62%

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

$3.25 $3.25

$3.16 $3.16

2.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.51 $2.51

15.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.81 $7.81

$7.20 $7.20

8.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$6.95 $6.95

16.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 $1.15

$1.11 $1.11

3.60%

White Bread (500g)

$4.48 $4.48

$4.12 $4.12

8.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$6.00 $6.00

2.67%

Eggs

$5.31 $5.31

$5.58 $5.58

-4.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.52 $18.52

$16.04 $16.04

15.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.78 $18.78

$22.00 $22.00

-14.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.50 $23.50

$23.51 $23.51

-0.04%

Apples (1kg)

$5.82 $5.82

$5.05 $5.05

15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 $1.79

$1.69 $1.69

5.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.21 $5.21

$4.19 $4.19

24.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.58 $6.58

$4.68 $4.68

40.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 $3.83

$2.69 $2.69

42.38%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.04 $3.04

8.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.59 $2.59

$1.78 $1.78

45.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.37 $3.37

-23.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.88 $11.88

$11.95 $11.95

-0.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.98 $17.98

$18.31 $18.31

-1.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.75 $1.75

$1.74 $1.74

0.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.87 $4.87

$4.75 $4.75

2.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$5.01 $5.01

$2.03 $2.03

146.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$174 $174

$61.1 $61.1

184.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.67 $2.67

-2.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.69 $1.69

-1.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.73 $29.73

$29.91 $29.91

-0.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 $1.29

$1.27 $1.27

1.57%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$36.2K $36.2K

-0.76%

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

$27.5K $27.5K

$27.8K $27.8K

-0.79%

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

$283 $283

$230 $230

23.14%

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

$93.4 $93.4

$92.9 $92.9

0.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.3 $87.3

$87.7 $87.7

-0.47%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.2 $72.2

$42.65 $42.65

69.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.02 $20.02

$18.46 $18.46

8.45%

Cinema Ticket

$18.20 $18.20

$17.27 $17.27

5.39%

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

$2,968 $2,968

$2,069 $2,069

43.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$32.4K $32.4K

-3.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$61.9 $61.9

$62.1 $62.1

-0.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.97 $44.97

$45.09 $45.09

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$83.7 $83.7

52.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$160 $160

$128 $128

25.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,891 $1,891

$1,750 $1,750

8.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,752 $1,752

$1,440 $1,440

21.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,719 $2,719

$2,873 $2,873

-5.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,493 $2,493

$2,373 $2,373

5.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,906 $4,906

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,578 $3,578

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,908 $6,908

$4,839 $4,839

42.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.24

6.09

2.46%

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

Last update for Puyallup, WA: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tacoma, WA: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,891 in Puyallup, WA and $1,750 in Tacoma, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 43% 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 $80.0 in Tacoma, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $529 vs $519, 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

Tacoma, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 20% lower than in Puyallup, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tacoma, 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: $1,891 in Puyallup, WA versus $1,750 in Tacoma, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 2% 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 $80.0 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. 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 $3,007 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Tacoma, WA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Tacoma, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 20% less than in Puyallup, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.