Cost of Living Comparison Between Redwood City, CA and Somerville, MA Cost of Living Comparison Between Redwood City, CA and Somerville, MA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,048 in Redwood City, CA versus $4,197 in Somerville, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,886 in Redwood City, CA versus $6,185 in Somerville, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,725 in Redwood City, CA versus $8,174 in Somerville, MA.

Living in Redwood City, CA costs roughly 4% less than in Somerville, MA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redwood City, CA 202% above, Somerville, MA 213% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.01 $27.01

$25.23 $25.23

7.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$98.8 $98.8

1.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.57 $14.57

$13.57 $13.57

7.37%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$5.05 $5.05

-1.58%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$2.73 $2.73

-5.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.14 $2.14

0.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$7.55 $7.55

-20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$9.20 $9.20

-23.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.27 $1.27

15.75%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 $2.40

$4.10 $4.10

-41.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$3.13 $3.13

80.19%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$4.77 $4.77

1.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$16.98 $16.98

-53.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$13.17 $13.17

13.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$20.21 $20.21

-17.12%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$5.73 $5.73

12.57%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.25 $2.25

-1.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.86 $5.86

-37.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$6.55 $6.55

-52.06%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$4.36 $4.36

-45.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.13 $2.13

63.85%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$2.77 $2.77

-20.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.20 $2.20

35.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$13.87 $13.87

-36.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$15.04 $15.04

-19.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.15 $2.15

-21.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$2.03 $2.03

94.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.20 $7.20

$2.23 $2.23

222.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$89.6 $89.6

-16.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$2.59 $2.59

32.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$1.78 $1.78

5.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.09 $40.09

$27.99 $27.99

43.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.93 $0.93

30.11%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$30.3K $30.3K

-19.82%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$25.7K $25.7K

1.15%

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

$193 $193

$192 $192

0.65%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$71.7 $71.7

-29.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$76.8 $76.8

-5.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$179 $179

$104 $104

71.53%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 $14.65

$15.52 $15.52

-5.61%

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

$2,698 $2,698

$1,643 $1,643

64.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K $38.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

41.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$57.2 $57.2

4.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 $60.3

$39.81 $39.81

51.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$104 $104

-14.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$150 $150

-33.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,174 $4,174

$2,837 $2,837

47.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 $2,503

$2,625 $2,625

-4.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,455 $5,455

$4,585 $4,585

18.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,227 $4,227

$4,484 $4,484

-5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,657 $7,657

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,655 $5,655

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,032 $8,032

$5,444 $5,444

47.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.47

1.24%

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

Last update for Redwood City, CA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Somerville, MA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,174 in Redwood City, CA and $2,837 in Somerville, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays 48% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $100 in Redwood City, CA vs $99.0 in Somerville, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $461, with Redwood City, 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

Redwood City, CA vs Somerville, MA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Redwood City, CA and Somerville, MA differ by about 4% in total monthly costs ($4,048 vs $4,197 including rent). Redwood City, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Redwood City, CA pays 48% 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: $4,174 in Redwood City, CA versus $2,837 in Somerville, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Somerville, MA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Redwood City, CA – a meal for two runs $100 versus $99.0 in Somerville, MA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $5,000. Redwood City, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Redwood City, CA and Somerville, MA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Redwood City, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Somerville, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.