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: $4,029 in Redwood City, CA versus $4,342 in Somerville, MA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,863 in Redwood City, CA versus $6,220 in Somerville, MA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,697 in Redwood City, CA versus $8,098 in Somerville, MA.

Living in Redwood City, CA costs roughly 7% 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 225% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.20 $27.20

$24.65 $24.65

10.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$98.2 $98.2

3.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.30 $14.30

$13.62 $13.62

4.99%

Cappuccino

$4.85 $4.85

$4.92 $4.92

-1.42%

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

$2.54 $2.54

$2.67 $2.67

-4.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.18 $2.18

1.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.13 $6.13

$7.66 $7.66

-19.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.01 $7.01

$8.90 $8.90

-21.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.28 $1.28

14.84%

White Bread (500g)

$2.30 $2.30

$4.19 $4.19

-45.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.62 $5.62

$2.99 $2.99

87.96%

Eggs

$4.82 $4.82

$4.80 $4.80

0.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.54 $7.54

$17.15 $17.15

-56.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.81 $14.81

$13.20 $13.20

12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.62 $16.62

$20.23 $20.23

-17.84%

Apples (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.83 $5.83

12.69%

Banana (1kg)

$2.26 $2.26

$2.17 $2.17

4.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.63 $3.63

$5.66 $5.66

-35.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.01 $3.01

$6.76 $6.76

-55.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.40 $2.40

$4.38 $4.38

-45.21%

Onion (1kg)

$3.35 $3.35

$2.23 $2.23

50.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 $2.18

$2.81 $2.81

-22.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.20 $2.20

37.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.76 $8.76

$13.63 $13.63

-35.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 $11.76

$14.98 $14.98

-21.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.76 $1.76

$2.18 $2.18

-19.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.92 $3.92

$1.95 $1.95

101.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.11 $7.11

$2.25 $2.25

216.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$72.8 $72.8

$88.7 $88.7

-17.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.54 $3.54

$2.66 $2.66

33.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.72 $1.72

8.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.54 $40.54

$27.64 $27.64

46.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 $1.25

$0.89 $0.89

40.45%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$29.9K $29.9K

-18.69%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$25.6K $25.6K

2.16%

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

$191 $191

$197 $197

-2.98%

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

$51.3 $51.3

$72.4 $72.4

-29.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.5 $70.5

$78.6 $78.6

-10.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$178 $178

$102 $102

74.28%

Cinema Ticket

$14.64 $14.64

$15.76 $15.76

-7.11%

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

$2,743 $2,743

$1,643 $1,643

66.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$37.2K $37.2K

$27.0K $27.0K

37.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.3 $60.3

$56.6 $56.6

6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$61.4 $61.4

$40.16 $40.16

52.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$90.9 $90.9

$104 $104

-12.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 $101

$147 $147

-31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,293 $4,293

$2,888 $2,888

48.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,458 $2,458

$2,678 $2,678

-8.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,536 $5,536

$4,546 $4,546

21.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,272 $4,272

$4,532 $4,532

-5.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,444 $7,444

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,662 $5,662

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,994 $7,994

$5,331 $5,331

49.96%

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: July 12, 2026

Last update for Somerville, MA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,293 in Redwood City, CA and $2,888 in Somerville, MA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays 50% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Redwood City, CA vs $98.0 in Somerville, MA. Groceries flip the comparison at $401 vs $463, 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 8% in total monthly costs ($4,029 vs $4,342 including rent). Redwood City, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 50% higher in Redwood City, CA, 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: $4,293 in Redwood City, CA versus $2,888 in Somerville, MA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% 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 $101 versus $98.0 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 8% less than in Somerville, MA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.