Cost of Living Comparison Between Redwood City, CA and Waterbury, CT Cost of Living Comparison Between Redwood City, CA and Waterbury, CT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,048 in Redwood City, CA versus $3,706 in Waterbury, CT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,886 in Redwood City, CA versus $5,254 in Waterbury, CT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,725 in Redwood City, CA versus $6,802 in Waterbury, CT.

Living in Redwood City, CA is roughly 9% more expensive than Waterbury, CT, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Redwood City, CA 202% above, Waterbury, CT 177% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.01 $27.01

$30.02 $30.02

-10.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$90.2 $90.2

11.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.57 $14.57

$9.05 $9.05

60.99%

Cappuccino

$4.97 $4.97

$4.72 $4.72

5.30%

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

$2.59 $2.59

$3.28 $3.28

-21.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.69 $2.69

-19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.98 $5.98

$7.80 $7.80

-23.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.08 $7.08

$10.16 $10.16

-30.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 $1.47

$1.29 $1.29

13.95%

White Bread (500g)

$2.40 $2.40

$5.15 $5.15

-53.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.64 $5.64

$8.18 $8.18

-31.05%

Eggs

$4.84 $4.84

$6.95 $6.95

-30.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.82 $7.82

$17.30 $17.30

-54.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.91 $14.91

$16.47 $16.47

-9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$16.75 $16.75

$20.47 $20.47

-18.17%

Apples (1kg)

$6.45 $6.45

$7.62 $7.62

-15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.22 $2.22

$2.20 $2.20

0.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.68 $3.68

$5.75 $5.75

-36.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.14 $3.14

$6.46 $6.46

-51.39%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 $2.37

$3.69 $3.69

-35.77%

Onion (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.91 $3.91

-10.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.16 $3.16

-30.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.57 $2.57

16.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.87 $8.87

$10.42 $10.42

-14.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.11 $12.11

$15.14 $15.14

-20.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$2.95 $2.95

-42.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.95 $3.95

$3.32 $3.32

18.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$7.20 $7.20

$1.78 $1.78

304.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$74.8 $74.8

$63.0 $63.0

18.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.43 $3.43

$5.09 $5.09

-32.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.87 $1.87

$2.00 $2.00

-6.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$40.09 $40.09

$41.82 $41.82

-4.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$0.92 $0.92

31.52%

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

$24.3K $24.3K

$34.9K $34.9K

-30.33%

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

$26.0K $26.0K

$28.0K $28.0K

-7.21%

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

$193 $193

$184 $184

4.78%

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

$50.4 $50.4

$60.0 $60.0

-15.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$72.3 $72.3

$61.8 $61.8

16.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$179 $179

$53.8 $53.8

232.98%

Cinema Ticket

$14.65 $14.65

$19.82 $19.82

-26.08%

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

$2,698 $2,698

$1,290 $1,290

109.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$38.2K $38.2K

$56.4K $56.4K

-32.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 $59.9

$42.13 $42.13

42.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$60.3 $60.3

$45.19 $45.19

33.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.3 $89.3

$71.9 $71.9

24.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$100 $100

$135 $135

-25.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,174 $4,174

$1,473 $1,473

183.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,503 $2,503

$2,068 $2,068

21.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,455 $5,455

$2,605 $2,605

109.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,227 $4,227

$3,355 $3,355

25.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,032 $8,032

$3,391 $3,391

136.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.55

6.44

1.71%

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 Waterbury, CT: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $4,174 in Redwood City, CA and $1,473 in Waterbury, CT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Redwood City, CA pays 137% 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: $100 in Redwood City, CA vs $90.0 in Waterbury, CT. Groceries flip the comparison at $404 vs $541, 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 Waterbury, CT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Redwood City, CA and Waterbury, CT differ by about 9% in total monthly costs ($4,048 vs $3,706 including rent). Waterbury, CT is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Redwood City, CA pays 137% 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 $1,473 in Waterbury, CT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Redwood City, CA pay roughly 34% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Waterbury, CT – a meal for two runs $90.0 versus $100 in Redwood City, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Waterbury, CT 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.

Expats usually find Waterbury, CT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Redwood City, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.