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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,655 in Brea, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $4,277 in Brea, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,900 in Brea, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 36% more expensive than Brea, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Brea, CA 98% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$19.96 $19.96

24.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$85.9 $85.9

37.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$10.06 $10.06

36.88%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.97 $4.97

14.89%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.71 $2.71

12.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$2.03 $2.03

23.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.94 $6.94

12.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.05 $7.05

11.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.12 $1.12

20.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.10 $4.10

23.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.60 $4.60

17.17%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$4.56 $4.56

50.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$12.44 $12.44

101.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$11.68 $11.68

35.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$14.77 $14.77

39.40%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.46 $3.46

77.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.85 $1.85

52.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.82 $3.82

44.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$5.54 $5.54

21.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.20 $3.20

-1.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.92 $2.92

30.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.03 $2.03

32.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.10 $2.10

25.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$10.01 $10.01

16.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$15.22 $15.22

3.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.69 $1.69

73.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.65 $4.65

-8.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.94 $1.94

45.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.90 $3.90

-33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.70 $2.70

-36.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$32.43 $32.43

-6.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.29 $1.29

-7.75%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$25.4K $25.4K

28.61%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$26.5K $26.5K

-1.44%

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

$263 $263

$201 $201

30.52%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$46.86 $46.86

29.92%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$59.3 $59.3

28.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.64 $42.64

86.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.08 $14.08

15.55%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,214 $1,214

87.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$40.0K $40.0K

-26.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$68.3 $68.3

0.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$34.08 $34.08

52.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$83.9 $83.9

38.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$126 $126

14.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,627 $1,627

43.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,332 $1,332

39.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,815 $2,815

64.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$3,084 $3,084

12.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$5,828 $5,828

33.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$5,811 $5,811

-9.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$9,827 $9,827

-32.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.58

-2.43%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Brea, CA: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,627 in Brea, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Brea, CA pays 49% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $86.0 in Brea, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $397 per month, with Brea, CA cheaper across the board.

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 Brea, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Brea, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 36% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Brea, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Brea, CA earns 49% less. 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,627 in Brea, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,214 in Brea, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Brea, CA – a meal for two runs $86.0 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Brea, 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 Brea, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,655 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Brea, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Brea, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Brea, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 36% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.