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: $3,443 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $3,620 in Puyallup, WA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,958 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $5,128 in Puyallup, WA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,474 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $6,636 in Puyallup, WA.

Living in Santa Rosa, CA costs roughly 5% less than in Puyallup, WA, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Santa Rosa, CA 150% above, Puyallup, WA 162% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$27.93 $27.93

$25.41 $25.41

9.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$88.9 $88.9

$78.5 $78.5

13.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.85 $11.85

$14.98 $14.98

-20.89%

Cappuccino

$6.57 $6.57

$6.39 $6.39

2.82%

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

$3.45 $3.45

$3.10 $3.10

11.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 $3.28

$2.87 $2.87

14.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.23 $8.23

$8.02 $8.02

2.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.58 $8.58

$8.06 $8.06

6.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.14 $1.14

30.70%

White Bread (500g)

$4.43 $4.43

$4.62 $4.62

-4.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.55 $4.55

$6.05 $6.05

-24.79%

Eggs

$5.45 $5.45

$5.48 $5.48

-0.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.01 $21.01

$17.86 $17.86

17.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$14.42 $14.42

$18.93 $18.93

-23.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.54 $20.54

$23.38 $23.38

-12.15%

Apples (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$6.06 $6.06

-15.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.75 $2.75

$1.88 $1.88

46.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.17 $8.17

$5.38 $5.38

51.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.75 $6.75

$6.32 $6.32

6.80%

Potato (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$3.77 $3.77

1.33%

Onion (1kg)

$3.54 $3.54

$3.20 $3.20

10.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$3.08 $3.08

$2.71 $2.71

13.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.81 $1.81

$2.67 $2.67

-32.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.94 $11.94

$11.99 $11.99

-0.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 $11.89

$18.22 $18.22

-34.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.85 $1.85

$1.78 $1.78

3.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.32 $2.32

$4.93 $4.93

-52.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.16 $2.16

$4.91 $4.91

-56.01%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.70 $40.70

$170 $170

-76.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.93 $3.93

$2.66 $2.66

47.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.91 $1.91

$1.66 $1.66

15.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$28.49 $28.49

$29.64 $29.64

-3.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 $1.39

$1.27 $1.27

9.45%

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

$37.3K $37.3K

$36.6K $36.6K

1.83%

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

$27.8K $27.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

-0.62%

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

$189 $189

$278 $278

-32.26%

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

$51.6 $51.6

$92.9 $92.9

-44.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$70.4 $70.4

$85.7 $85.7

-17.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.8 $69.8

$72.3 $72.3

-3.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.21 $14.21

$20.40 $20.40

-30.34%

Cinema Ticket

$14.11 $14.11

$17.84 $17.84

-20.91%

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

$1,268 $1,268

$2,989 $2,989

-57.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$39.4K $39.4K

$31.0K $31.0K

27.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.06 $48.06

$62.1 $62.1

-22.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.74 $40.74

$45.21 $45.21

-9.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$107 $107

$128 $128

-16.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 $127

$164 $164

-22.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,299 $2,299

$1,901 $1,901

20.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,904 $1,904

$1,787 $1,787

6.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$3,668 $3,668

$2,774 $2,774

32.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,107 $3,107

$2,548 $2,548

21.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,701 $4,701

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,662 $4,662

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,753 $4,753

$6,674 $6,674

-28.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.12

6.24

-1.92%

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

Last update for Santa Rosa, CA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Puyallup, WA: September 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,299 in Santa Rosa, CA and $1,901 in Puyallup, WA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Puyallup, WA pays 40% 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: $89.0 in Santa Rosa, CA vs $78.0 in Puyallup, WA. Groceries flip the comparison at $495 vs $533, 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

Santa Rosa, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 5% lower than in Puyallup, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Santa Rosa, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 40% 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: $2,299 in Santa Rosa, CA versus $1,901 in Puyallup, WA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Puyallup, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Santa Rosa, CA – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $78.0 in Puyallup, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Santa Rosa, CA 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 Santa Rosa, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,443 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Santa Rosa, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Santa Rosa, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 5% less than in Puyallup, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.