Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between San Francisco and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in San Francisco: $1,672 a month against $3,800 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $25,500 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

81

Cost of Living Index in San Francisco
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San Francisco Living Index
185

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

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San Francisco

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

$1,672

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,672 in San Francisco versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA.

San Francisco $1,672
Seattle, WA $3,800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,668 in San Francisco versus $5,702 in Seattle, WA.

San Francisco $2,668
Seattle, WA $5,702

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,664 in San Francisco versus $7,603 in Seattle, WA.

San Francisco $3,664
Seattle, WA $7,603

Living in San Francisco costs roughly 56% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Francisco 24% above, Seattle, WA 182% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$10.08 ₡4,520

$25.32 $25.32

-60.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$61.8 ₡27.7K

$101 $101

-39.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.03 ₡4,947

$14.85 $14.85

-25.72%

Cappuccino

$4.33 ₡1,941

$6.59 $6.59

-34.29%

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

$1.30 ₡582

$3.22 $3.22

-59.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ₡810

$3.14 $3.14

-42.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 ₡1,504

$8.18 $8.18

-59.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.31 ₡1,932

$8.03 $8.03

-46.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 ₡1,039

$1.21 $1.21

91.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.03 ₡1,360

$5.12 $5.12

-40.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.44 ₡1,095

$6.30 $6.30

-61.27%

Eggs

$3.51 ₡1,575

$4.90 $4.90

-28.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ₡4,859

$19.10 $19.10

-43.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.43 ₡4,677

$18.50 $18.50

-43.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ₡6,192

$23.03 $23.03

-40.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.00 ₡2,241

$5.81 $5.81

-13.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ₡735

$1.95 $1.95

-15.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.85 ₡2,177

$5.29 $5.29

-8.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.96 ₡1,777

$6.48 $6.48

-38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$3.75 ₡1,683

$3.57 $3.57

5.04%

Onion (1kg)

$3.59 ₡1,609

$3.15 $3.15

13.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.08 ₡483

$2.85 $2.85

-62.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.20 ₡1,435

$2.42 $2.42

32.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.80 ₡2,601

$12.75 $12.75

-54.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$20.33 ₡9,119

$14.99 $14.99

35.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.81 ₡1,262

$4.17 $4.17

-32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.66 ₡1,642

$5.99 $5.99

-38.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.34 ₡602

$3.04 $3.04

-55.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$65.2 ₡29.3K

$110 $110

-40.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ₡800

$2.55 $2.55

-30.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 ₡732

$1.64 $1.64

-0.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.91 ₡3,994

$29.58 $29.58

-69.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 ₡667

$1.42 $1.42

4.93%

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

$22.0K ₡9.9M

$35.7K $35.7K

-38.52%

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

$35.0K ₡15.7M

$25.6K $25.6K

37.05%

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

$76.3 ₡34.2K

$299 $299

-74.48%

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

$33.48 ₡15.0K

$70.8 $70.8

-52.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$48.18 ₡21.6K

$88.3 $88.3

-45.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$74.2 ₡33.3K

$79.5 $79.5

-6.67%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.37 $35.37

Cinema Ticket

$7.52 ₡3,373

$17.12 $17.12

-56.07%

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

$973 ₡436.4K

$3,013 $3,013

-67.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ₡7.5M

$31.6K $31.6K

-46.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$71.1 ₡31.9K

$77.2 $77.2

-7.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.2 ₡24.8K

$55.1 $55.1

0.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.7 ₡29.9K

$126 $126

-46.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$53.8 ₡24.1K

$163 $163

-66.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$808 ₡362.4K

$2,464 $2,464

-67.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$629 ₡282.0K

$1,956 $1,956

-67.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,914 ₡858.5K

$4,711 $4,711

-59.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,267 ₡568.0K

$3,550 $3,550

-64.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,346 $7,346

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,048 $5,048

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$892 ₡400.1K

$6,286 $6,286

-85.81%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.62

6.85

25.84%

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

Last update for San Francisco: October 11, 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 Francisco

$629 37.6%

Seattle, WA

$2K 51.5% 211% $1.3K

Groceries & Markets

San Francisco

$401 24%

Seattle, WA

$542 14.3% 35.2% $141

Eating Out

San Francisco

$203 12.2%

Seattle, WA

$409 10.8% 101% $205

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Francisco

$158 9.5%

Seattle, WA

$458 12.1% 190% $300

Clothing & Footwear

San Francisco

$111 6.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 70.4% $78

Sport & Entertainment

San Francisco

$89 5.3%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 27.5% $25

Getting Around

San Francisco

$81 4.8%

Seattle, WA

$133 3.5% 65.1% $52

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $808 in San Francisco and $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 605% 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: $62.0 in San Francisco vs $101 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $401 vs $542 per month, with San Francisco cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇷 San Francisco

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

06:29 6:29 AM

05:29 5:29 AM

1 h behind San Francisco

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

55,923

737,015

💱 Currency

Costa Rican Colón CRC ₡

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD

1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CRC – Costa Rican Colón Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇷 Costa Rican Colón (₡)

Costa Rican Colón exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 USD = 448 CRC (1,000 CRC = 2.23 USD). 1 EUR = 504 CRC (1,000 CRC = 1.98 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 19, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CRC in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

San Francisco Seattle, WA 5,510 km ≈ 7 h nonstop flight

From you

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

San Francisco wins on cost – living expenses run 127% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making San Francisco the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 605% lower in Seattle, WA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $808 in San Francisco versus $2,464 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in San Francisco runs roughly 69% less than in Seattle, WA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $973 in San Francisco versus $3,013 in Seattle, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $1,672 in San Francisco versus $3,800 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in San Francisco but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes San Francisco the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but San Francisco delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $1,672 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes San Francisco hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, San Francisco and Seattle, WA 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 San Francisco gentler on the wallet – expenses run 127% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.