Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Downey, CA: $3,058 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for about half of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
147

Cost of Living Index in Downey, CA
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Downey, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Downey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,058

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,785 in Seattle, WA versus $3,058 in Downey, CA.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Downey, CA $3,058

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,688 in Seattle, WA versus $4,673 in Downey, CA.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Downey, CA $4,673

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,592 in Seattle, WA versus $6,289 in Downey, CA.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Downey, CA $6,289

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 24% more expensive than in Downey, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 178% above, Downey, CA 125% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.21 $25.21

0.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$80.0 $80.0

26.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.90 $14.90

-0.94%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.67 $5.67

14.64%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.04 $3.04

5.59%

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

$7.37 $7.37

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.34 $9.34

-12.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.10 $1.10

6.36%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.97 $3.97

33.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.75 $4.75

34.74%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.87 $4.87

3.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.90 $12.90

45.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.01 $13.01

43.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.33 $15.33

49.25%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.70 $4.70

28.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.66 $1.66

17.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.11 $4.11

34.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.50 $5.50

18.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.74 $3.74

-6.68%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.05 $3.05

7.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.99 $1.99

40.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.22 $2.22

16.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.55 $11.55

8.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.72 $14.72

1.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.00 $2.00

109.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.12 $4.12

40.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$6.09 $6.09

-57.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.50 $1.50

-6.00%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.8K $28.8K

27.79%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.9K $26.9K

-1.22%

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

$308 $308

$169 $169

82.06%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$68.3 $68.3

1.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$72.6 $72.6

18.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$35.23 $35.23

117.00%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.33 $15.33

17.55%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,159 $1,159

136.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$59.0 $59.0

34.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$44.13 $44.13

23.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$93.3 $93.3

35.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$145 $145

9.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,989 $1,989

26.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,715 $1,715

13.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,721 $3,721

37.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,279 $3,279

8.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$5,713 $5,713

29.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$5,622 $5,622

-11.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,281 $4,281

51.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.39

7.82%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Downey, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Downey, CA

$1.7K 56.1% 11.5% $224

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Downey, CA

$416 13.6% 24% $131

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Downey, CA

$310 10.1% 33% $153

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Downey, CA

$392 12.8% 3.5% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Downey, CA

$153 5% 18.6% $35

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Downey, CA

$6.1 * 0.2% 95.3% $123

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Downey, CA

$66 2.2% 41.4% $47

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,508 in Seattle, WA and $1,989 in Downey, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 51% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $80 in Downey, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $416 per month, with Downey, CA cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Downey, CA

🕒 Local time

04:47 4:47 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

114,355

💱 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 Downey, CA 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Downey, CA is about 19% cheaper overall, especially in groceries, transport, and leisure. That difference adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 51% 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 $1,989 in Downey, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you’ll spend $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA versus $3,058 in Downey, CA – Downey, CA is about 19% cheaper, which adds up to real savings over time.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,500. Downey, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you’ll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

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.

It comes down to priorities – Downey, CA wins on affordability, Seattle, WA on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.