Last update: Nov 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Delano, CA: $2,645 a month against $3,762 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

182

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
126

Cost of Living Index in Delano, CA
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Delano, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,762

/mo nomad

Delano, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,645

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,762 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,645 in Delano, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,762
Delano, CA $2,645

A couple spends around $5,651 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,850 in Delano, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,651
Delano, CA $3,850

A family of three spends $7,541 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,055 in Delano, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,541
Delano, CA $5,055

Seattle, WA costs about 42% more than Delano, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Delano, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Delano, CA by 96%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$23.80 $23.80

$19.28 $19.28

23.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.6 $98.6

$75.4 $75.4

30.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.94 $14.94

$11.04 $11.04

35.33%

Cappuccino

$6.79 $6.79

$5.23 $5.23

29.83%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.57 $2.57

25.68%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.04 $2.04

54.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.21 $8.21

$6.10 $6.10

34.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.87 $7.87

$7.14 $7.14

10.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.03 $1.03

13.59%

White Bread (500g)

$5.29 $5.29

$3.41 $3.41

55.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.76 $5.76

$4.22 $4.22

36.49%

Eggs

$4.89 $4.89

$4.11 $4.11

18.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.25 $20.25

$12.47 $12.47

62.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$17.95 $17.95

$11.64 $11.64

54.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.35 $23.35

$15.13 $15.13

54.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.94 $5.94

$4.99 $4.99

19.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.89 $1.89

$1.64 $1.64

15.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$4.34 $4.34

23.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.76 $4.76

38.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.39 $3.39

$2.80 $2.80

21.07%

Onion (1kg)

$2.88 $2.88

$2.84 $2.84

1.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.89 $2.89

$2.03 $2.03

42.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.43 $2.43

$2.15 $2.15

13.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$9.37 $9.37

29.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.24 $15.24

$13.87 $13.87

9.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.38 $4.38

$1.77 $1.77

147.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.89 $5.89

$3.34 $3.34

76.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.96 $2.96

$1.98 $1.98

49.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$60.5 $60.5

80.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.52 $2.52

$3.46 $3.46

-27.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.63 $1.63

5.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.70 $29.70

$29.46 $29.46

0.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.51 $1.51

$0.88 $0.88

71.59%

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

$36.2K $36.2K

$29.8K $29.8K

21.52%

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

$25.7K $25.7K

$25.5K $25.5K

0.86%

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

$289 $289

$190 $190

52.11%

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

$69.1 $69.1

$52.3 $52.3

32.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.8 $84.8

$68.7 $68.7

23.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.4 $69.4

$42.16 $42.16

64.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.05 $35.05

Cinema Ticket

$17.97 $17.97

$13.68 $13.68

31.36%

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

$2,819 $2,819

$1,278 $1,278

120.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$43.9K $43.9K

$23.0K $23.0K

90.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$91.2 $91.2

$51.5 $51.5

77.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$55.1 $55.1

$40.15 $40.15

37.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$88.1 $88.1

44.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$110 $110

47.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,579 $2,579

$1,594 $1,594

61.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,943 $1,943

$1,355 $1,355

43.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,100 $5,100

$2,634 $2,634

93.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,541 $3,541

$2,204 $2,204

60.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,357 $7,357

$2,731 $2,731

169.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,921 $4,921

$2,428 $2,428

102.68%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,448 $6,448

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.8

6.51

4.45%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: November 2, 2026

Last update for Delano, 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%

Delano, CA

$1.4K 51.2% 30.3% $588

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$544 14.5%

Delano, CA

$386 14.6% 29% $158

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$443 11.8%

Delano, CA

$311 11.8% 29.8% $132

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$399 10.6%

Delano, CA

$313 11.9% 21.5% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$196 5.2%

Delano, CA

$130 4.9% 33.5% $66

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$132 3.5%

Delano, CA

$80 3% 39.5% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$105 2.8%

Delano, CA

$70 2.6% 34% $36

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,579 in Seattle, WA versus $1,594 in Delano, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $99 in Seattle, WA versus $75 in Delano, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $544 vs $386 – making Delano, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Delano, CA

🕒 Local time

08:15 8:15 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

53,819

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Delano, CA 1,340 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,642 per month in Seattle, WA and $3,967 in Delano, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Delano, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,594 there versus $2,579 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,645 in Delano, CA. That makes Delano, CA about 30% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 45% less in Delano, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,762 in Seattle, WA and $2,645 in Delano, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

For expats, Delano, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and overall it costs about 30% less, which matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.