Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Davis, CA: $3,316 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
161

Cost of Living Index in Davis, CA
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Davis, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Davis, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,316

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,316 in Davis, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Davis, CA $3,316

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,712 in Davis, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Davis, CA $4,712

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,107 in Davis, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Davis, CA $6,107

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

Both Seattle, WA and Davis, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Davis, CA by 144%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$22.69 $22.69

11.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$99.5 $99.5

1.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$12.87 $12.87

14.69%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.02 $5.02

29.48%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.57 $3.57

-10.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.36 $2.36

33.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.06 $8.06

-1.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$8.15 $8.15

-0.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.33 $1.33

-12.03%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.81 $3.81

39.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.20 $4.20

52.38%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.11 $5.11

-0.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$11.06 $11.06

69.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$15.66 $15.66

19.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$17.26 $17.26

32.56%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.14 $5.14

17.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.65 $1.65

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.34 $4.34

26.96%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$4.78 $4.78

36.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$2.77 $2.77

25.99%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.08 $3.08

6.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.28 $2.28

22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.22 $2.22

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.67 $10.67

17.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$16.12 $16.12

-7.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.20 $2.20

90.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.43 $3.43

69.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.48 $1.48

106.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$37.27 $37.27

184.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.40 $3.40

-24.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.52 $1.52

7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$29.75 $29.75

1.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.39 $1.39

1.44%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

33.08%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.1K $25.1K

6.14%

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

$308 $308

$289 $289

6.34%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$58.5 $58.5

18.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$77.6 $77.6

10.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$43.16 $43.16

77.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.40 $15.40

17.01%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,391 $1,391

97.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$24.7K $24.7K

23.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$54.3 $54.3

45.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.13 $41.13

32.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$94.9 $94.9

33.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$115 $115

38.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,743 $1,743

43.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,836 $1,836

5.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,453 $3,453

48.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,849 $2,849

24.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,834 $2,834

160.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$4,209 $4,209

18.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$5,088 $5,088

27.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.1

12.95%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Davis, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Davis, CA

$1.8K 55.4% 5.3% $103

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Davis, CA

$429 12.9% 21.6% $118

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Davis, CA

$425 12.8% 8.1% $37

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Davis, CA

$361 10.9% 11.2% $46

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Davis, CA

$137 4.1% 27.2% $51

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Davis, CA

$54 1.6% 58% $75

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Davis, CA

$74 2.2% 34.3% $39

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,743 in Davis, 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 27% 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 $100 in Davis, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $429 – making Davis, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Davis, CA

🕒 Local time

05:44 5:44 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

66,850

💱 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 Davis, CA 1,010 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 14%, 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 $4,975 in Davis, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Davis, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,743 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,316 in Davis, CA. That makes Davis, CA about 12% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,391 in Davis, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,316 in Davis, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

If budget matters most, go with Davis, 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.