Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Chico, CA: $2,475 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $15,700 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
119

Cost of Living Index in Chico, CA
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Chico, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Chico, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,475

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $2,475 in Chico, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Chico, CA $2,475

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $3,704 in Chico, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Chico, CA $3,704

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $4,934 in Chico, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Chico, CA $4,934

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 53% more expensive than in Chico, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Chico, CA 82% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.18 $25.18

0.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$50.1 $50.1

101.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.23 $12.23

20.69%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.63 $5.63

15.45%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.65 $2.65

21.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.24 $2.24

40.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.34 $7.34

8.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.98 $7.98

1.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.14 $1.14

2.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.00 $3.00

76.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$3.63 $3.63

76.31%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.77 $4.77

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.04 $11.04

69.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$12.27 $12.27

52.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$22.70 $22.70

0.79%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.42 $5.42

11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.30 $2.30

-15.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.79 $3.79

45.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.54 $5.54

17.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$5.17 $5.17

-32.50%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.03 $3.03

8.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.52 $2.52

11.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.57 $2.57

0.39%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.64 $11.64

7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.04 $15.04

-1.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.75 $1.75

139.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.69 $3.69

57.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.94 $1.94

57.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$45.62 $45.62

132.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.17 $3.17

-18.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$2.38 $2.38

-31.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$39.22 $39.22

-23.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

32.82%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.2K $26.2K

1.48%

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

$308 $308

$186 $186

65.69%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$48.18 $48.18

43.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$66.2 $66.2

30.06%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$61.4 $61.4

24.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.83 $12.83

40.45%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,844 $1,844

48.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$36.9K $36.9K

-17.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$51.6 $51.6

53.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$32.09 $32.09

69.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$70.2 $70.2

80.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$101 $101

56.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,193 $1,193

110.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,096 $1,096

76.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,271 $2,271

125.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$1,998 $1,998

77.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,478 $3,478

111.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,846 $2,846

75.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,790 $3,790

70.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.28

9.71%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Chico, CA: October 27, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Chico, CA

$1.1K 44.3% 43.4% $842

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Chico, CA

$430 17.4% 21.4% $117

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Chico, CA

$300 12.1% 35.2% $163

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Chico, CA

$378 15.3% 7% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Chico, CA

$115 4.6% 39.1% $74

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Chico, CA

$68 2.8% 46.9% $61

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Chico, CA

$87 3.5% 22.6% $25

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,193 in Chico, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 71% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $50 in Chico, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $430 per month, with Chico, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Chico, CA

🕒 Local time

23:02 11:02 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

90,316

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Chico, CA 880 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Chico, CA

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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 Chico, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chico, CA is about 35% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and transport. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,193 in Chico, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Chico, CA – a meal for two runs $50 versus $101 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,475 in Chico, CA – Chico, CA is about 35% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Chico, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.