Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Cupertino, CA: $3,312 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
160

Cost of Living Index in Cupertino, CA
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Cupertino, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Cupertino, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,312

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,312 in Cupertino, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Cupertino, CA $3,312

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,276 in Cupertino, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Cupertino, CA $5,276

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,240 in Cupertino, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Cupertino, CA $7,240

Seattle, WA costs about 14% more than Cupertino, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Cupertino, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Cupertino, CA by 145%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$24.53 $24.53

-2.98%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$50.6 $50.6

94.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$9.83 $9.83

51.98%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$4.36 $4.36

55.73%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.45 $2.45

31.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.22 $2.22

41.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.91 $6.91

18.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.89 $7.89

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.35 $1.35

-13.33%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.29 $3.29

60.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.39 $4.39

31.21%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$5.10 $5.10

-4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$6.48 $6.48

212.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$13.01 $13.01

37.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$13.09 $13.09

78.38%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$3.88 $3.88

53.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$2.15 $2.15

-12.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.23 $2.23

139.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$2.81 $2.81

133.81%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.48 $2.48

36.69%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$3.07 $3.07

-6.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$3.05 $3.05

-5.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$0.97 $0.97

150.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.64 $11.64

4.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$10.96 $10.96

39.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.88 $1.88

132.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$1.91 $1.91

208.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.98 $2.98

-0.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$138 $138

-20.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.60 $2.60

-3.08%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$2.07 $2.07

-16.91%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$30.19 $30.19

-1.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$1.53 $1.53

-1.31%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$28.5K $28.5K

27.03%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$27.0K $27.0K

-4.75%

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

$289 $289

$255 $255

13.09%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$61.0 $61.0

13.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$66.7 $66.7

27.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$35.70 $35.70

94.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$15.59 $15.59

15.27%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$2,160 $2,160

30.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$32.1K $32.1K

36.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$56.9 $56.9

60.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$34.98 $34.98

57.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$90.3 $90.3

40.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$58.6 $58.6

176.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$2,550 $2,550

1.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,908 $1,908

1.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$5,080 $5,080

0.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$4,349 $4,349

-18.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

$7,565 $7,565

-14.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.52

4.29%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Cupertino, CA: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.6%

Cupertino, CA

$1.9K 57.6% 1.8% $34

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Cupertino, CA

$336 10.1% 38.2% $208

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Cupertino, CA

$383 11.6% 13.5% $60

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Cupertino, CA

$347 10.5% 13.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Cupertino, CA

$108 3.3% 44.7% $88

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Cupertino, CA

$163 4.9% 23.2% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Cupertino, CA

$67 2% 36.5% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $2,550 in Cupertino, 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 17% higher in Cupertino, CA, 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 $99 in Seattle, WA versus $51 in Cupertino, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $336 – making Cupertino, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Cupertino, CA

🕒 Local time

09:52 9:52 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

58,302

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.893 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Cupertino, CA 1,140 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,762 in Seattle, WA, $3,312 in Cupertino, CA – Cupertino, CA comes out roughly 12% cheaper. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,969 in Cupertino, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A central 1-bedroom goes for about $2,579 in Seattle, WA and $2,550 in Cupertino, CA. The gap holds across neighborhoods – outer areas show a similar spread, just at lower price points.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA and $51 in Cupertino, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $3,312 in Cupertino, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,312 in Cupertino, CA to $3,762 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.