Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and California, MD

For one person, living is cheaper in California, MD: $2,590 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $14,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
125

Cost of Living Index in California, MD
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California, MD Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

California, MD

🇺🇸 United States

$2,590

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Seattle, WA and in California, MD

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 California, MD actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,590 in California, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
California, MD $2,590

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,729 in California, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
California, MD $3,729

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,867 in California, MD, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
California, MD $4,867

Seattle, WA costs about 46% more than California, MD, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and California, MD sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, California, MD by 90%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.39 $25.39

-0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$76.0 $76.0

32.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$10.01 $10.01

47.45%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$6.05 $6.05

7.44%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.81 $2.81

14.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.44 $2.44

28.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.03 $5.03

58.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.01 $8.01

1.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.00 $1.00

17.00%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.93 $3.93

34.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$2.17 $2.17

194.93%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$3.90 $3.90

29.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.56 $11.56

61.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$14.46 $14.46

29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$13.17 $13.17

73.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.29 $4.29

41.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.16 $2.16

-9.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.48 $4.48

22.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.48 $6.48

0.62%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$4.50 $4.50

-22.44%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$4.08 $4.08

-19.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.04 $2.04

37.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.97 $1.97

30.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$8.79 $8.79

42.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$13.83 $13.83

7.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.69 $1.69

147.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.77 $4.77

21.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$2.14 $2.14

42.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$82.5 $82.5

28.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.95 $2.95

-12.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.49 $1.49

10.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$22.83 $22.83

31.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.86 $0.86

63.95%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$32.7K $32.7K

12.44%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$23.5K $23.5K

13.01%

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

$308 $308

$98.1 $98.1

213.66%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$41.45 $41.45

66.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$61.9 $61.9

38.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$39.56 $39.56

93.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$11.02 $11.02

222.14%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.68 $17.68

1.92%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,937 $1,937

41.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$32.6K $32.6K

-6.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$52.7 $52.7

50.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$47.01 $47.01

15.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$87.5 $87.5

44.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$107 $107

48.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,721 $1,721

45.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,308 $1,308

48.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,818 $1,818

181.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,891 $1,891

87.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$6,900 $6,900

6.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$6,215 $6,215

-19.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,967 $6,967

-7.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.4

7.66%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for California, MD: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

California, MD

$1.3K 50.5% 32.5% $630

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

California, MD

$404 15.6% 26.1% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

California, MD

$201 7.8% 56.5% $261

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

California, MD

$368 14.2% 9.4% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

California, MD

$133 5.1% 29.8% $56

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

California, MD

$101 3.9% 21.3% $28

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

California, MD

$75 2.9% 33.4% $38

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,721 in California, MD. 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 8% higher in California, MD, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $76 in California, MD. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $404 – making California, MD the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 California, MD

🕒 Local time

07:16 7:16 AM

10:16 10:16 AM

3 h ahead of Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

13,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA California, MD 3,810 km ≈ 5 h nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
California, MD

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 California, MD: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 46%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,886 in California, MD. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in California, MD, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,721 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Groceries cost about 35% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $76 in California, MD. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,590 in California, MD. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward California, MD – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

For expats, California, MD is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 32% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.