Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,800 a month against $4,077 in San Diego, CA, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in San Diego, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

197

Cost of Living Index in San Diego, CA
Learn more

San Diego, CA Living Index
185

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,077

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in San Diego, 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 San Diego, CA and in Seattle, WA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $4,077 per month in San Diego, CA vs $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $4,077
Seattle, WA $3,800

A couple spends around $6,059 per month in San Diego, CA vs $5,702 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $6,059
Seattle, WA $5,702

A family of three spends $8,041 per month in San Diego, CA vs $7,603 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

San Diego, CA $8,041
Seattle, WA $7,603

San Diego, CA costs about 7% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both San Diego, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – San Diego, CA by 202%, Seattle, WA by 182%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.72 $24.72

$25.32 $25.32

-2.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$97.7 $97.7

$101 $101

-3.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.25 $13.25

$14.85 $14.85

-10.77%

Cappuccino

$5.96 $5.96

$6.59 $6.59

-9.56%

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

$3.12 $3.12

$3.22 $3.22

-3.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$3.14 $3.14

-16.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.14 $8.14

$8.18 $8.18

-0.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$11.11 $11.11

$8.03 $8.03

38.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.37 $1.37

$1.21 $1.21

13.22%

White Bread (500g)

$5.58 $5.58

$5.12 $5.12

8.98%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.70 $4.70

$6.30 $6.30

-25.40%

Eggs

$6.77 $6.77

$4.90 $4.90

38.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.12 $17.12

$19.10 $19.10

-10.37%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.30 $14.30

$18.50 $18.50

-22.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$23.03 $23.03

-10.03%

Apples (1kg)

$4.62 $4.62

$5.81 $5.81

-20.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.86 $1.86

$1.95 $1.95

-4.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.32 $4.32

$5.29 $5.29

-18.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 $5.08

$6.48 $6.48

-21.60%

Potato (1kg)

$3.11 $3.11

$3.57 $3.57

-12.89%

Onion (1kg)

$2.70 $2.70

$3.15 $3.15

-14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.12 $2.12

$2.85 $2.85

-25.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.42 $2.42

-16.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.74 $11.74

$12.75 $12.75

-7.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.72 $16.72

$14.99 $14.99

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.16 $2.16

$4.17 $4.17

-48.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.20 $3.20

$5.99 $5.99

-46.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.47 $2.47

$3.04 $3.04

-18.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$73.4 $73.4

$110 $110

-33.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.99 $2.99

$2.55 $2.55

17.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 $2.09

$1.64 $1.64

27.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.38 $28.38

$29.58 $29.58

-4.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.42 $1.42

9.15%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$35.7K $35.7K

3.49%

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

$25.6K $25.6K

0.29%

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

$256 $256

$299 $299

-14.32%

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

$73.9 $73.9

$70.8 $70.8

4.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.4 $84.4

$88.3 $88.3

-4.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$72.9 $72.9

$79.5 $79.5

-8.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.09 $24.09

$35.37 $35.37

-31.89%

Cinema Ticket

$20.21 $20.21

$17.12 $17.12

18.05%

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

$1,968 $1,968

$3,013 $3,013

-34.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.0K $36.0K

$31.6K $31.6K

13.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.4 $68.4

$77.2 $77.2

-11.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.7 $54.7

$55.1 $55.1

-0.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$114 $114

$126 $126

-9.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$146 $146

$163 $163

-10.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,210 $3,210

$2,464 $2,464

30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,410 $2,410

$1,956 $1,956

23.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,499 $5,499

$4,711 $4,711

16.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,336 $4,336

$3,550 $3,550

22.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,110 $8,110

$7,346 $7,346

10.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,682 $6,682

$5,048 $5,048

32.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,975 $4,975

$6,286 $6,286

-20.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.7

6.85

-2.19%

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

Last update for San Diego, CA: October 13, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Diego, CA

$2.4K 59.1%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 18.8% $454

Groceries & Markets

San Diego, CA

$475 11.7%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 13.9% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Diego, CA

$414 10.2%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 10.5% $44

Eating Out

San Diego, CA

$395 9.7%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 3.5% $14

Clothing & Footwear

San Diego, CA

$172 4.2%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 9.7% $17

Sport & Entertainment

San Diego, CA

$113 2.8%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 0.4% $0.5

Getting Around

San Diego, CA

$97 2.4%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 37.5% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,210 in San Diego, CA versus $2,464 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 26% higher in Seattle, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in San Diego, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $475 vs $542 – making San Diego, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Diego, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

11:35 11:35 AM

Same time as San Diego, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,386,932

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

San Diego, CA Seattle, WA 1,710 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

San Diego, 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

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

San Diego, CA costs about 7% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,116 per month in San Diego, CA and $5,701 in Seattle, WA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,968 per month in San Diego, CA and $3,013 in Seattle, WA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 14% cheaper in San Diego, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,077 in San Diego, CA and $3,800 in Seattle, WA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. San Diego, CA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,800 in Seattle, WA to $4,077 in San Diego, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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