Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Ana, CA and Seattle, WA

For one person, living is cheaper in Santa Ana, CA: $3,474 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

170

Cost of Living Index in Santa Ana, CA
Learn more

Santa Ana, CA Living Index
184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index

Jump to prices

Santa Ana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,474

/mo nomad

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,474 in Santa Ana, CA versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA.

Santa Ana, CA $3,474
Seattle, WA $3,782

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,054 in Santa Ana, CA versus $5,636 in Seattle, WA.

Santa Ana, CA $5,054
Seattle, WA $5,636

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,635 in Santa Ana, CA versus $7,489 in Seattle, WA.

Santa Ana, CA $6,635
Seattle, WA $7,489

Living in Santa Ana, CA costs roughly 8% less than in Seattle, WA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Ana, CA 156% above, Seattle, WA 179% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.65 $22.65

$24.52 $24.52

-7.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$81.4 $81.4

$98.2 $98.2

-17.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$16.64 $16.64

$14.79 $14.79

12.51%

Cappuccino

$5.92 $5.92

$6.52 $6.52

-9.20%

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

$3.02 $3.02

$3.23 $3.23

-6.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$3.17 $3.17

-24.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.35 $7.35

$7.85 $7.85

-6.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$9.71 $9.71

$8.03 $8.03

20.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.04 $1.04

$1.21 $1.21

-14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$4.03 $4.03

$5.14 $5.14

-21.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.67 $4.67

$6.05 $6.05

-22.81%

Eggs

$5.79 $5.79

$4.88 $4.88

18.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.90 $12.90

$19.18 $19.18

-32.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.06 $17.06

$18.91 $18.91

-9.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$21.14 $21.14

$23.31 $23.31

-9.31%

Apples (1kg)

$4.93 $4.93

$5.99 $5.99

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 $1.67

$1.93 $1.93

-13.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.10 $4.10

$5.25 $5.25

-21.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.73 $5.73

$6.57 $6.57

-12.79%

Potato (1kg)

$3.72 $3.72

$3.62 $3.62

2.76%

Onion (1kg)

$3.18 $3.18

$3.31 $3.31

-3.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.10 $2.10

$2.78 $2.78

-24.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 $1.84

$2.51 $2.51

-26.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$12.18 $12.18

-4.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.88 $14.88

$14.83 $14.83

0.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$4.22 $4.22

-40.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.06 $4.06

$5.77 $5.77

-29.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.98 $1.98

$2.95 $2.95

-32.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$69.0 $69.0

$106 $106

-35.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$6.31 $6.31

$2.65 $2.65

138.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$4.84 $4.84

$1.72 $1.72

181.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$48.18 $48.18

$29.72 $29.72

62.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.49 $1.49

1.34%

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

$29.3K $29.3K

$35.9K $35.9K

-18.26%

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

$26.9K $26.9K

$26.2K $26.2K

2.63%

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

$173 $173

$302 $302

-42.52%

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

$67.7 $67.7

$70.1 $70.1

-3.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.8 $73.8

$85.3 $85.3

-13.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.7 $56.7

$77.8 $77.8

-27.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$44.05 $44.05

$34.58 $34.58

27.39%

Cinema Ticket

$15.40 $15.40

$17.84 $17.84

-13.68%

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

$1,202 $1,202

$2,973 $2,973

-59.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$62.5 $62.5

$76.6 $76.6

-18.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.17 $42.17

$54.1 $54.1

-21.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 $106

$128 $128

-16.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$145 $145

$164 $164

-11.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,617 $2,617

$2,445 $2,445

7.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,965 $1,965

$1,947 $1,947

0.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,217 $3,217

$4,744 $4,744

-32.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,227 $3,227

$3,469 $3,469

-6.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,596 $4,596

$7,367 $7,367

-37.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,226 $4,226

$5,127 $5,127

-17.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,286 $3,286

$6,506 $6,506

-49.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.39

6.89

-7.26%

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

Last update for Santa Ana, CA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Santa Ana, CA

$2K 56.6%

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5% 0.9% $19

Groceries & Markets

Santa Ana, CA

$458 13.2%

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4% 19.1% $88

Eating Out

Santa Ana, CA

$380 10.9%

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6% 5.2% $20

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Santa Ana, CA

$315 9.1%

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1% 45.2% $142

Clothing & Footwear

Santa Ana, CA

$160 4.6%

Seattle, WA

$190 5% 18.7% $30

Getting Around

Santa Ana, CA

$107 3.1%

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4% 20.3% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Santa Ana, CA

$87 2.5%

Seattle, WA

$114 3% 29.8% $26

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,617 in Santa Ana, CA and $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 98% 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: $81.0 in Santa Ana, CA vs $98.0 in Seattle, WA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $458 vs $546 per month, with Santa Ana, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Santa Ana, CA

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🕒 Local time

03:51 3:51 AM

Same time as Santa Ana, CA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

335,400

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

Santa Ana, CA Seattle, WA 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Santa Ana, 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

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

Santa Ana, CA is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and clothing. The 9% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 98% 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: $2,617 in Santa Ana, CA versus $2,445 in Seattle, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Ana, CA – a meal for two runs $81.0 versus $98.0 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Santa Ana, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

For families, Santa Ana, CA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Seattle, WA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Santa Ana, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 9% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.