Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa, CA and Puyallup, WA Cost of Living Comparison Between Santa Rosa, CA and Puyallup, WA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,334 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $3,285 in Puyallup, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,894 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $4,375 in Puyallup, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,455 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $5,465 in Puyallup, WA.

Living in Santa Rosa, CA is roughly 2% more expensive than in Puyallup, WA, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Rosa, CA 151% above, Puyallup, WA 147% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$22.87 $22.87

$24.72 $24.72

-7.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$79.4 $79.4

$72.0 $72.0

10.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.20 $12.20

$13.96 $13.96

-12.61%

Cappuccino

$4.91 $4.91

$5.89 $5.89

-16.64%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$2.90 $2.90

1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 $2.91

$2.43 $2.43

19.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.56 $7.56

$7.54 $7.54

0.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.39 $8.39

$7.82 $7.82

7.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

White Bread (500g)

$4.75 $4.75

$4.32 $4.32

9.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.51 $4.51

$6.51 $6.51

-30.72%

Eggs

$5.37 $5.37

$5.20 $5.20

3.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.43 $16.43

$18.02 $18.02

-8.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$11.21 $11.21

$15.90 $15.90

-29.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.50 $20.50

$20.67 $20.67

-0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$7.84 $7.84

$5.33 $5.33

47.09%

Banana (1kg)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.63 $1.63

77.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.27 $8.27

$5.11 $5.11

61.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$8.29 $8.29

$6.25 $6.25

32.64%

Potato (1kg)

$3.92 $3.92

$3.13 $3.13

25.24%

Onion (1kg)

$3.96 $3.96

$3.36 $3.36

17.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.12 $3.12

$2.81 $2.81

11.03%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$2.56 $2.56

-21.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.06 $12.06

$10.85 $10.85

11.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.13 $12.13

$17.88 $17.88

-32.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 $1.80

$1.77 $1.77

1.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.67 $2.67

$4.31 $4.31

-38.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.81 $2.81

$2.93 $2.93

-4.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.54 $30.54

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.02 $4.02

$2.63 $2.63

52.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.02 $2.02

-3.47%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.85 $28.85

$29.89 $29.89

-3.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 $1.27

$1.15 $1.15

10.43%

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

$34.7K $34.7K

$32.6K $32.6K

6.36%

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

$27.7K $27.7K

$26.4K $26.4K

5.08%

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

$241 $241

$270 $270

-10.91%

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

$50.8 $50.8

$70.5 $70.5

-27.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$73.9 $73.9

$74.6 $74.6

-0.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.5 $64.5

$30.04 $30.04

114.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.18 $15.18

Cinema Ticket

$14.19 $14.19

$15.20 $15.20

-6.64%

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

$1,864 $1,864

$2,053 $2,053

-9.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$40.0K $40.0K

$29.9K $29.9K

33.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.7 $58.7

$59.6 $59.6

-1.54%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.03 $44.03

$45.05 $45.05

-2.26%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$109 $109

$93.3 $93.3

16.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$130 $130

$141 $141

-7.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,297 $2,297

$1,777 $1,777

29.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,915 $1,915

$1,760 $1,760

8.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,693 $3,693

$2,303 $2,303

60.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,160 $3,160

$2,066 $2,066

52.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,621 $4,621

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,829 $4,829

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,586 $4,586

$6,751 $6,751

-32.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.52

6.42

1.56%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa, CA: July 26, 2026

Last update for Puyallup, WA: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,297 in Santa Rosa, CA and $1,777 in Puyallup, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 47% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $79.0 in Santa Rosa, CA vs $72.0 in Puyallup, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $491 vs $497, with Santa Rosa, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Rosa, CA vs Puyallup, WA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Puyallup, WA wins on cost – living expenses run 2% lower than in Santa Rosa, CA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Puyallup, WA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 47% lower in Puyallup, 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: $2,297 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $1,777 in Puyallup, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,864 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $2,053 in Puyallup, WA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Puyallup, WA – a meal for two runs $72.0 versus $79.0 in Santa Rosa, CA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Puyallup, WA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Puyallup, WA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,285 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Puyallup, WA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Puyallup, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 2% less than in Santa Rosa, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.