Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Sacramento, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Sacramento, CA: $3,000 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $9,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

143

Cost of Living Index in Sacramento, CA
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Sacramento, CA Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index

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Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,000

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Sacramento, CA and in Seattle, WA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Sacramento, CA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,000 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $3,000
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $4,471 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $4,471
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $5,943 per month in Sacramento, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

Sacramento, CA $5,943
Seattle, WA $7,592

Sacramento, CA is about 21% cheaper than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Sacramento, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – Sacramento, CA by 120%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$21.12 $21.12

$25.30 $25.30

-16.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$99.6 $99.6

$101 $101

-1.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.26 $12.26

$14.76 $14.76

-16.94%

Cappuccino

$5.19 $5.19

$6.50 $6.50

-20.15%

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

$2.91 $2.91

$3.21 $3.21

-9.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.14 $3.14

-6.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.97 $7.97

-1.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.83 $7.83

$8.13 $8.13

-3.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 $1.31

$1.17 $1.17

11.97%

White Bread (500g)

$4.16 $4.16

$5.30 $5.30

-21.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.59 $4.59

$6.40 $6.40

-28.28%

Eggs

$5.87 $5.87

$5.06 $5.06

16.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.16 $15.16

$18.71 $18.71

-18.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.14 $15.14

$18.72 $18.72

-19.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.50 $18.50

$22.88 $22.88

-19.14%

Apples (1kg)

$4.98 $4.98

$6.06 $6.06

-17.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

Oranges (1kg)

$4.41 $4.41

$5.51 $5.51

-19.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.67 $5.67

$6.52 $6.52

-13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$3.67 $3.67

$3.49 $3.49

5.16%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.29 $3.29

0.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.40 $2.40

$2.80 $2.80

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.61 $2.61

$2.58 $2.58

1.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.83 $11.83

$12.49 $12.49

-5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.21 $14.21

$14.87 $14.87

-4.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.59 $2.59

$4.19 $4.19

-38.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.65 $3.65

$5.80 $5.80

-37.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.05 $3.05

-15.74%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100.0 $100.0

$106 $106

-5.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.06 $4.06

$2.58 $2.58

57.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.92 $1.92

$1.64 $1.64

17.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.35 $25.35

$30.12 $30.12

-15.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.62 $1.62

$1.41 $1.41

14.89%

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

$34.5K $34.5K

$36.8K $36.8K

-6.16%

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

$26.7K $26.7K

$26.6K $26.6K

0.23%

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

$231 $231

$308 $308

-24.96%

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

$61.0 $61.0

$69.2 $69.2

-11.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$69.0 $69.0

$86.1 $86.1

-19.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$31.12 $31.12

$76.5 $76.5

-59.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.69 $40.69

$35.50 $35.50

14.62%

Cinema Ticket

$17.25 $17.25

$18.02 $18.02

-4.27%

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

$1,532 $1,532

$2,746 $2,746

-44.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K $19.0K

$30.6K $30.6K

-37.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$60.5 $60.5

$79.2 $79.2

-23.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$47.13 $47.13

$54.3 $54.3

-13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$93.1 $93.1

$127 $127

-26.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$131 $131

$159 $159

-17.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,986 $1,986

$2,508 $2,508

-20.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,491 $1,491

$1,938 $1,938

-23.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,109 $3,109

$5,117 $5,117

-39.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,505 $2,505

$3,542 $3,542

-29.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,486 $5,486

$7,374 $7,374

-25.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,428 $3,428

$5,002 $5,002

-31.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,815 $4,815

$6,470 $6,470

-25.58%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.59

6.89

-4.35%

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

Last update for Sacramento, CA: October 25, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Sacramento, CA

$1.5K 49.7%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 30% $447

Groceries & Markets

Sacramento, CA

$463 15.4%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 18.1% $84

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Sacramento, CA

$361 12%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 28.3% $102

Eating Out

Sacramento, CA

$346 11.5%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 17.3% $60

Clothing & Footwear

Sacramento, CA

$149 5%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 26.5% $39

Getting Around

Sacramento, CA

$124 4.1%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 4.1% $5

Sport & Entertainment

Sacramento, CA

$66 2.2%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 71.4% $47

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,986 in Sacramento, CA versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 34% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $100 in Sacramento, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $463 vs $547 – making Sacramento, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Sacramento, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

09:07 9:07 AM

Same time as Sacramento, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

524,943

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.899 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Sacramento, CA Seattle, WA 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Sacramento, CA
Seattle, WA

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Sacramento, CA vs Seattle, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 26%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $4,500 per month in Sacramento, CA and $5,677 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sacramento, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,986 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Public transport costs about 6% less in Sacramento, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Groceries cost about 18% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,000 in Sacramento, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Sacramento, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Sacramento, CA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Seattle, WA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.