Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Anaheim, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Anaheim, CA: $3,531 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
169

Cost of Living Index in Anaheim, CA
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Anaheim, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Anaheim, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,531

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in Anaheim, CA

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Seattle, WA and in Anaheim, CA actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,531 in Anaheim, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Anaheim, CA $3,531

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,931 in Anaheim, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Anaheim, CA $4,931

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,331 in Anaheim, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Anaheim, CA $6,331

Seattle, WA costs about 7% more than Anaheim, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Anaheim, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Anaheim, CA by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.64 $24.64

2.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$79.0 $79.0

27.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$16.38 $16.38

-9.89%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.68 $5.68

14.44%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.08 $3.08

4.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.32 $2.32

35.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.30 $7.30

9.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.78 $9.78

-16.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.26 $1.26

-7.14%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.19 $5.19

2.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.80 $4.80

33.33%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.79 $5.79

-12.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.19 $15.19

23.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$18.11 $18.11

3.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.37 $15.37

48.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.95 $4.95

22.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.40 $2.40

-18.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.13 $4.13

33.41%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.48 $5.48

18.98%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.60 $3.60

-3.06%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.26 $2.26

45.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.16 $2.16

29.63%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.91 $1.91

35.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.55 $11.55

8.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.75 $14.75

0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.91 $1.91

119.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.27 $4.27

35.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.04 $2.04

49.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$68.4 $68.4

54.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$6.42 $6.42

-59.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.57 $1.57

-10.19%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.5K $28.5K

29.29%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.39%

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

$308 $308

$171 $171

79.61%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$67.3 $67.3

2.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$73.8 $73.8

16.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$78.9 $78.9

-3.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$10.09 $10.09

251.83%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.95 $17.95

0.39%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,169 $1,169

134.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$58.1 $58.1

36.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$39.29 $39.29

38.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$106 $106

19.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$147 $147

8.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,292 $2,292

9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,004 $2,004

-3.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,794 $2,794

83.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,928 $2,928

20.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$7,576 $7,576

-2.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$6,002 $6,002

-16.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,074 $4,074

58.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.39

7.82%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Anaheim, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Anaheim, CA

$2K 56.8% 3.4% $66

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Anaheim, CA

$467 13.2% 14.7% $80

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Anaheim, CA

$312 8.9% 32.5% $150

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Anaheim, CA

$392 11.1% 3.5% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Anaheim, CA

$158 4.5% 16.5% $31

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Anaheim, CA

$83 * 2.4% 35.7% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Anaheim, CA

$115 3.3% 2% $2.3

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,292 in Anaheim, CA. 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 59% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $79 in Anaheim, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $467 – making Anaheim, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Anaheim, CA

🕒 Local time

11:04 11:04 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

350,742

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Anaheim, CA 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Anaheim, CA

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

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

Seattle, WA costs about 7% more than Anaheim, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,296 in Anaheim, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $2,292 in Anaheim, CA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $79 in Anaheim, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,531 in Anaheim, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Anaheim, CA costs $3,531 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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