Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Burbank, CA: $3,673 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $1,300 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
177

Cost of Living Index in Burbank, CA
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Burbank, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Burbank, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,673

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,673 in Burbank, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Burbank, CA $3,673

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,555 in Burbank, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Burbank, CA $3,555

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,438 in Burbank, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Burbank, CA $3,438

Seattle, WA costs about 3% more than Burbank, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in transport.

Both Seattle, WA and Burbank, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Burbank, CA by 170%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.03 $25.03

1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$77.6 $77.6

30.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.82 $14.82

-0.40%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.60 $5.60

16.07%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.70 $3.70

-13.24%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.79 $2.79

12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.91 $7.91

0.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.96 $9.96

-18.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.34 $1.34

-12.69%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.10 $5.10

3.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.48 $4.48

42.86%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.51 $5.51

-8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$15.73 $15.73

18.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.76 $15.76

18.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.92 $19.92

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.19 $5.19

16.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.33 $2.33

-16.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.94 $3.94

39.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.52 $5.52

18.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.27 $3.27

6.73%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.83 $2.83

16.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.15 $2.15

30.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.74 $2.74

-5.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.81 $11.81

5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.25 $15.25

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.54 $2.54

64.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$2.82 $2.82

105.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.71 $1.71

78.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.03 $3.03

-14.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.88 $1.88

-12.77%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$31.97 $31.97

-5.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.45 $1.45

-2.76%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$29.2K $29.2K

25.84%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.9K $26.9K

-1.15%

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

$308 $308

$214 $214

44.06%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$78.1 $78.1

-11.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$72.9 $72.9

18.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$132 $132

-42.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$19.71 $19.71

-8.57%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,713 $1,713

60.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$32.8K $32.8K

-6.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$61.8 $61.8

28.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.26 $47.26

14.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$107 $107

19.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$103 $103

53.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$3,197 $3,197

-21.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,098 $2,098

-7.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,368 $5,368

20.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.31

9.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Burbank, 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%

Burbank, CA

$2.1K 57.1% 8.2% $159

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Burbank, CA

$479 13.1% 12.4% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Burbank, CA

$365 9.9% 21.2% $98

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Burbank, CA

$397 10.8% 2.2% $8.9

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Burbank, CA

$144 3.9% 23.9% $45

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Burbank, CA

$19 * 0.5% 85.1% $110

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Burbank, CA

$171 4.7% 52.2% $59

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 $3,197 in Burbank, 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 21% 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 $78 in Burbank, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $479 – making Burbank, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Burbank, CA

🕒 Local time

02:07 2:07 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

103,340

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Burbank, CA 1,530 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA costs about 3% more than Burbank, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from transport. 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 $5,509 in Burbank, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,197 in Burbank, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,673 in Burbank, CA. That makes Burbank, CA about 3% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,713 in Burbank, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,673 in Burbank, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Burbank, CA costs $3,673 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

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