Cost of Living Comparison Between San Mateo, CA and Cedar City, UT Cost of Living Comparison Between San Mateo, CA and Cedar City, UT

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $4,450 in San Mateo, CA versus $2,308 in Cedar City, UT.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $6,670 in San Mateo, CA versus $3,577 in Cedar City, UT.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $8,889 in San Mateo, CA versus $4,845 in Cedar City, UT.

Living in San Mateo, CA is roughly 93% more expensive than in Cedar City, UT, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: San Mateo, CA 224% above, Cedar City, UT 68% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$19.65 $19.65

$23.78 $23.78

-17.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$102 $102

$80.1 $80.1

27.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.85 $12.85

$14.85 $14.85

-13.47%

Cappuccino

$5.50 $5.50

$6.47 $6.47

-14.99%

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

$2.99 $2.99

$4.61 $4.61

-35.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 $2.73

$2.94 $2.94

-7.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.12 $8.12

$5.96 $5.96

36.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.94 $9.94

$11.07 $11.07

-10.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.58 $1.58

$1.14 $1.14

38.60%

White Bread (500g)

$5.83 $5.83

$3.51 $3.51

66.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.20 $6.20

$4.36 $4.36

42.20%

Eggs

$7.58 $7.58

$3.76 $3.76

101.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.79 $13.79

$18.41 $18.41

-25.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.53 $18.53

$15.96 $15.96

16.10%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$18.48 $18.48

9.36%

Apples (1kg)

$6.12 $6.12

$8.21 $8.21

-25.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.16 $2.16

$2.31 $2.31

-6.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.11 $4.11

$7.75 $7.75

-46.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.58 $8.58

$3.66 $3.66

134.43%

Potato (1kg)

$4.49 $4.49

$1.75 $1.75

156.57%

Onion (1kg)

$3.09 $3.09

$2.34 $2.34

32.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.97 $2.97

$2.22 $2.22

33.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.34 $2.34

-14.10%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$12.91 $12.91

-8.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.71 $14.71

$22.16 $22.16

-33.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.69 $1.69

$1.91 $1.91

-11.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.00 $2.00

$4.86 $4.86

-58.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.96 $3.96

$4.91 $4.91

-19.35%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$96.0 $96.0

$39.67 $39.67

141.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.10 $4.10

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.06 $2.06

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$0.88 $0.88

57.95%

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

$37.0K $37.0K

$37.7K $37.7K

-1.81%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$24.7K $24.7K

4.12%

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

$244 $244

$170 $170

43.44%

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

$41.13 $41.13

$32.88 $32.88

25.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.0 $61.0

$57.2 $57.2

6.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$109 $109

$54.6 $54.6

99.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.57 $9.57

Cinema Ticket

$18.17 $18.17

$11.71 $11.71

55.17%

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

$2,991 $2,991

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K $28.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.7 $62.7

$57.2 $57.2

9.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.47 $46.47

$49.81 $49.81

-6.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$101 $101

15.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$153 $153

-9.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,273 $3,273

$1,040 $1,040

214.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,772 $2,772

$869 $869

218.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,831 $5,831

$1,918 $1,918

204.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$5,158 $5,158

$1,608 $1,608

220.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K $14.1K

$2,684 $2,684

427.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,716 $8,716

$2,651 $2,651

228.79%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,356 $7,356

$3,510 $3,510

109.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.96

6.67

-10.64%

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

Last update for San Mateo, CA: August 31, 2026

Last update for Cedar City, UT: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $3,273 in San Mateo, CA and $1,040 in Cedar City, UT. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

San Mateo, CA pays 110% 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: $102 in San Mateo, CA vs $80.0 in Cedar City, UT for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $524 vs $484 per month, with Cedar City, UT cheaper across the board.

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 Mateo, CA vs Cedar City, UT: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Cedar City, UT is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 93% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 110% higher in San Mateo, 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: $3,273 in San Mateo, CA versus $1,040 in Cedar City, UT. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Cedar City, UT – a meal for two runs $80.0 versus $102 in San Mateo, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

A monthly transit pass in Cedar City, UT runs roughly 142% less than in San Mateo, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $2,308 in Cedar City, UT versus $4,450 in San Mateo, CA, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Cedar City, UT but tight or insufficient in San Mateo, CA. The gap between the two cities makes Cedar City, UT the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Cedar City, UT is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in San Mateo, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, San Mateo, CA and Cedar City, UT 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 Cedar City, UT gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in San Mateo, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.