Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,782 a month against $4,273 in Fremont, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Fremont, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
205

Cost of Living Index in Fremont, CA
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Fremont, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Fremont, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,273

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,273 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Fremont, CA $4,273

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,632 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Fremont, CA $5,632

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,991 in Fremont, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Fremont, CA $6,991

Seattle, WA is about 11% cheaper than Fremont, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fremont, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Fremont, CA by 215%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.26 $20.26

21.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$74.9 $74.9

31.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.08 $12.08

22.43%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.46 $5.46

19.41%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.73 $2.73

18.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.37 $2.37

33.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.95 $8.95

-12.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$10.16 $10.16

-20.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.61 $1.61

-24.84%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.56 $4.56

12.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.15 $4.15

45.78%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$6.31 $6.31

-22.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$19.99 $19.99

-4.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$14.19 $14.19

33.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$17.56 $17.56

32.74%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.25 $5.25

14.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.02 $2.02

-4.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$5.54 $5.54

-5.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$5.38 $5.38

22.12%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.59 $3.59

0.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.02 $3.02

9.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.37 $2.37

17.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.54 $2.54

-1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.77 $11.77

3.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.57 $15.57

-4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.13 $2.13

98.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.35 $3.35

72.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.73 $2.73

8.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$85.0 $85.0

24.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.59 $3.59

-26.18%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$3.03 $3.03

-43.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$30.08 $30.08

-1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.57 $1.57

-5.10%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$31.2K $31.2K

14.95%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.4K $26.4K

-0.65%

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

$302 $302

$368 $368

-18.04%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$42.04 $42.04

66.79%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$81.5 $81.5

4.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$36.11 $36.11

115.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$8.36 $8.36

313.64%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$16.48 $16.48

8.25%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,788 $1,788

66.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$39.7K $39.7K

-21.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$58.6 $58.6

30.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$52.2 $52.2

3.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$93.1 $93.1

37.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$122 $122

34.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,872 $2,872

-14.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,622 $2,622

-25.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$3,999 $3,999

18.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$3,568 $3,568

-2.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$6,118 $6,118

20.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$4,848 $4,848

5.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$7,604 $7,604

-14.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.51

5.84%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Fremont, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Fremont, CA

$2.6K 61.4% 34.7% $675

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Fremont, CA

$480 11.2% 12.1% $66

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Fremont, CA

$492 11.5% 7.6% $35

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Fremont, CA

$349 8.2% 12.6% $50

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Fremont, CA

$147 3.4% 22.9% $44

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fremont, CA

$115 2.7% 11.3% $15

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Fremont, CA

$69 1.6% 39.2% $44

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,872 in Fremont, 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 Fremont, CA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $75.0 in Fremont, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $480 – making Fremont, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fremont, CA

🕒 Local time

03:20 3:20 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

241,110

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Fremont, CA 1,120 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Fremont, CA costs about 13% more than Seattle, WA, 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 $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $6,409 in Fremont, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 25% less in Seattle, WA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,788 in Fremont, 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 $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $4,273 in Fremont, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Seattle, WA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fremont, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.