Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fontana, CA: $3,395 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $4,700 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
164

Cost of Living Index in Fontana, CA
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Fontana, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Fontana, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,395

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,395 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Fontana, CA $3,395

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,018 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Fontana, CA $5,018

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,640 in Fontana, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Fontana, CA $6,640

Seattle, WA costs about 11% more than Fontana, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fontana, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Fontana, CA by 149%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$20.08 $20.08

26.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$78.8 $78.8

28.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.72 $14.72

0.27%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.73 $5.73

13.44%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.40 $3.40

-5.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.47 $2.47

27.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.28 $7.28

9.48%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.61 $9.61

-15.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.05 $1.05

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$4.13 $4.13

28.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.72 $4.72

35.59%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$13.11 $13.11

42.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.87 $8.87

111.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.70 $15.70

45.73%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.71 $4.71

28.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.17 $2.17

-10.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.91 $3.91

40.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.45 $5.45

19.63%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.76 $3.76

-7.18%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.21 $2.21

48.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.01 $2.01

39.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$1.91 $1.91

35.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.72 $11.72

6.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.27 $15.27

-2.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$2.02 $2.02

107.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$4.07 $4.07

42.51%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$45.43 $45.43

133.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$6.12 $6.12

-57.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.53 $1.53

-7.84%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$28.3K $28.3K

30.09%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.0K $26.0K

2.25%

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

$308 $308

$221 $221

38.96%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$79.0 $79.0

-12.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$60.0 $60.0

43.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$15.18 $15.18

18.71%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,195 $1,195

129.75%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$57.0 $57.0

38.76%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$40.72 $40.72

33.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$93.2 $93.2

36.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$103 $103

54.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,970 $1,970

27.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,071 $2,071

-6.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$3,187 $3,187

60.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$3,737 $3,737

-5.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,906 $4,906

31.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.31

9.19%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fontana, 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%

Fontana, CA

$2.1K 61% 6.9% $133

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Fontana, CA

$397 11.7% 27.5% $150

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Fontana, CA

$360 10.6% 22.1% $102

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Fontana, CA

$353 10.4% 13.2% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Fontana, CA

$132 3.9% 29.9% $56

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fontana, CA

$52 * 1.5% 60% $77

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Fontana, CA

$30 * 0.9% 73% $82

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,970 in Fontana, 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 32% 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 $79 in Fontana, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $397 – making Fontana, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fontana, CA

🕒 Local time

07:59 7:59 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

210,000

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Fontana, CA 1,560 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA costs about 11% more than Fontana, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That’s enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,093 in Fontana, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fontana, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,970 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,395 in Fontana, CA. That makes Fontana, CA about 10% cheaper.

Public transport costs about 57% less in Fontana, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,395 in Fontana, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fontana, 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 Fontana, 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.