Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in San Mateo, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

223

Cost of Living Index in San Mateo, CA
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San Mateo, CA Living Index
184

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

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San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,607

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $4,607 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $4,607
Seattle, WA $3,785

A couple spends around $6,460 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $5,688 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $6,460
Seattle, WA $5,688

A family of three spends $8,313 per month in San Mateo, CA vs $7,592 in Seattle, WA, rent included.

San Mateo, CA $8,313
Seattle, WA $7,592

San Mateo, CA costs about 22% more than Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both San Mateo, CA and Seattle, WA sit above the global median – San Mateo, CA by 238%, Seattle, WA by 178%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$20.32 $20.32

$25.30 $25.30

-19.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.89 $12.89

$14.76 $14.76

-12.67%

Cappuccino

$5.80 $5.80

$6.50 $6.50

-10.77%

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

$3.04 $3.04

$3.21 $3.21

-5.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.81 $2.81

$3.14 $3.14

-10.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.35 $8.35

$7.97 $7.97

4.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$10.14 $10.14

$8.13 $8.13

24.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.17 $1.17

40.17%

White Bread (500g)

$5.95 $5.95

$5.30 $5.30

12.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.23 $6.23

$6.40 $6.40

-2.66%

Eggs

$7.45 $7.45

$5.06 $5.06

47.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.58 $13.58

$18.71 $18.71

-27.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.53 $18.53

$18.72 $18.72

-1.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$19.67 $19.67

$22.88 $22.88

-14.03%

Apples (1kg)

$5.92 $5.92

$6.06 $6.06

-2.31%

Banana (1kg)

$2.25 $2.25

$1.95 $1.95

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.51 $5.51

-26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.56 $8.56

$6.52 $6.52

31.29%

Potato (1kg)

$4.38 $4.38

$3.49 $3.49

25.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.29 $3.29

-3.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.02 $3.02

$2.80 $2.80

7.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.94 $1.94

$2.58 $2.58

-24.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.76 $11.76

$12.49 $12.49

-5.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.52 $14.52

$14.87 $14.87

-2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.70 $1.70

$4.19 $4.19

-59.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$5.80 $5.80

-65.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.20 $2.20

$3.05 $3.05

-27.87%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$64.8 $64.8

$106 $106

-38.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.24 $4.24

$2.58 $2.58

64.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.64 $1.64

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.55 $1.55

$1.41 $1.41

9.93%

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

$27.4K $27.4K

$36.8K $36.8K

-25.41%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.48%

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

$268 $268

$308 $308

-12.99%

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

$41.40 $41.40

$69.2 $69.2

-40.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.9 $60.9

$86.1 $86.1

-29.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 $81.3

$76.5 $76.5

6.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$9.60 $9.60

$35.50 $35.50

-72.96%

Cinema Ticket

$17.80 $17.80

$18.02 $18.02

-1.22%

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

$3,045 $3,045

$2,746 $2,746

10.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K $28.6K

$30.6K $30.6K

-6.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.0 $62.0

$79.2 $79.2

-21.66%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$45.94 $45.94

$54.3 $54.3

-15.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$118 $118

$127 $127

-6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$137 $137

$159 $159

-14.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,414 $3,414

$2,508 $2,508

36.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$2,991 $2,991

$1,938 $1,938

54.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,766 $5,766

$5,117 $5,117

12.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$4,683 $4,683

$3,542 $3,542

32.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,613 $9,613

$7,374 $7,374

30.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$8,493 $8,493

$5,002 $5,002

69.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$7,661 $7,661

$6,470 $6,470

18.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.53

6.89

-5.22%

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

Last update for San Mateo, CA: October 27, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

San Mateo, CA

$3K 64.9%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2% 35.2% $1.1K

Groceries & Markets

San Mateo, CA

$522 11.3%

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5% 4.9% $25

Monthly Utilities & Internet

San Mateo, CA

$370 8%

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2% 25.1% $93

Eating Out

San Mateo, CA

$356 7.7%

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7% 14% $50

Clothing & Footwear

San Mateo, CA

$163 3.6%

Seattle, WA

$189 5% 15.5% $25

Sport & Entertainment

San Mateo, CA

$117 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$112 3% 3.7% $4.4

Getting Around

San Mateo, CA

$88 1.9%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 46.5% $41

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $3,414 in San Mateo, 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 18% higher in San Mateo, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in San Mateo, CA versus $101 in Seattle, WA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $522 vs $547 – making San Mateo, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 San Mateo, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

03:55 3:55 AM

Same time as San Mateo, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

103,536

737,015

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

San Mateo, CA Seattle, WA 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $4,607 in San Mateo, CA, $3,785 in Seattle, WA – Seattle, WA comes out roughly 18% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $6,910 per month in San Mateo, 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 Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,414 in San Mateo, CA.

Public transport costs about 39% less in San Mateo, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in San Mateo, CA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $4,607 in San Mateo, CA and $3,785 in Seattle, WA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,785 in Seattle, WA to $4,607 in San Mateo, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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