Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fresno, CA: $2,811 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $11,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
136

Cost of Living Index in Fresno, CA
Learn more

Fresno, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Fresno, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,811

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,811 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Fresno, CA $2,811

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,028 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Fresno, CA $4,028

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,244 in Fresno, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Fresno, CA $5,244

Seattle, WA costs about 35% more than Fresno, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fresno, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Fresno, CA by 107%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$19.74 $19.74

28.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$71.0 $71.0

42.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$13.89 $13.89

6.26%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.05 $5.05

28.71%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.92 $2.92

9.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.10 $2.10

49.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.02 $7.02

13.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.12 $9.12

-10.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.12 $1.12

4.46%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$2.69 $2.69

97.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.70 $4.70

36.17%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.47 $5.47

-7.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$10.97 $10.97

70.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$9.73 $9.73

92.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$15.57 $15.57

46.95%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.09 $5.09

19.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.45 $4.45

23.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$3.39 $3.39

92.33%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$7.91 $7.91

-55.88%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.72 $2.72

20.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.33 $2.33

20.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.99 $2.99

-13.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.69 $11.69

6.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$17.73 $17.73

-16.13%

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

$6.56 $6.56

-11.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$0.98 $0.98

211.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$44.47 $44.47

138.23%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.24 $4.24

-39.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.53 $1.53

7.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$27.17 $27.17

10.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.47 $1.47

-4.08%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.4K $27.4K

34.32%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$27.7K $27.7K

-4.15%

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

$308 $308

$237 $237

29.57%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$52.6 $52.6

31.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$77.1 $77.1

11.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$33.14 $33.14

130.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$42.19 $42.19

-15.86%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$17.41 $17.41

3.50%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,191 $1,191

130.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$13.0K $13.0K

135.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$60.2 $60.2

31.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$43.07 $43.07

26.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$95.0 $95.0

33.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$172 $172

-7.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,568 $1,568

59.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,403 $1,403

38.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,181 $2,181

134.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,195 $2,195

61.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$2,602 $2,602

183.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$3,070 $3,070

62.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$3,818 $3,818

69.47%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.4

7.66%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Fresno, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Fresno, CA

$1.4K 49.9% 27.6% $535

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Fresno, CA

$413 14.7% 24.5% $134

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Fresno, CA

$367 13.1% 20.7% $96

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Fresno, CA

$334 11.9% 17.9% $73

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Fresno, CA

$166 5.9% 11.8% $22

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fresno, CA

$60 2.1% 53.3% $69

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Fresno, CA

$68 2.4% 39.6% $45

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,568 in Fresno, 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 69% 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 $71 in Fresno, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $413 – making Fresno, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fresno, CA

🕒 Local time

06:34 6:34 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

520,052

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Fresno, CA 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 35%, 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 $4,217 in Fresno, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Fresno, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,568 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA and $71 in Fresno, CA. That’s a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,811 in Fresno, CA. That makes Fresno, CA about 26% cheaper.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,811 in Fresno, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Fresno, 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 Fresno, 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.