Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Fullerton, CA: $3,507 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $3,300 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
169

Cost of Living Index in Fullerton, CA
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Fullerton, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Fullerton, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,507

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,507 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Fullerton, CA $3,507

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,392 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Fullerton, CA $5,392

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,276 in Fullerton, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Fullerton, CA $7,276

Seattle, WA costs about 8% more than Fullerton, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Fullerton, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Fullerton, CA by 159%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$25.09 $25.09

-2.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$78.9 $78.9

24.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.35 $11.35

30.31%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.72 $5.72

13.99%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.81 $2.81

14.95%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$2.05 $2.05

54.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$7.88 $7.88

-0.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.81 $9.81

-18.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.41 $1.41

-14.18%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.10 $5.10

0.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.34 $4.34

39.40%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.06 $5.06

-3.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.26 $12.26

56.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$8.63 $8.63

119.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$15.69 $15.69

48.57%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.70 $4.70

27.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.72 $1.72

12.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.02 $4.02

30.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.40 $6.40

2.66%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.57 $3.57

1.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.11 $2.11

31.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.55 $2.55

-1.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.66 $11.66

4.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$15.13 $15.13

-1.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.74 $1.74

142.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.25 $3.25

77.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.30 $2.30

28.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$64.6 $64.6

64.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.44 $4.44

-40.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.89 $1.89

-8.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$36.21 $36.21

-17.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.48 $1.48

0.68%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.2K $27.2K

31.80%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.02%

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

$302 $302

$213 $213

41.78%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$84.5 $84.5

-17.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$73.2 $73.2

16.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$40.78 $40.78

90.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.13 $12.13

47.07%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,391 $1,391

113.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$43.3K $43.3K

-27.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$75.0 $75.0

2.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.26 $40.26

34.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$88.4 $88.4

45.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$120 $120

36.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,588 $2,588

-5.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,043 $2,043

-4.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$4,005 $4,005

18.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$4,069 $4,069

-14.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$5,472 $5,472

34.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,578 $4,578

42.11%

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 19, 2026

Last update for Fullerton, CA: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Fullerton, CA

$2K 58.3% 4.9% $96

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Fullerton, CA

$413 11.8% 24.3% $132

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Fullerton, CA

$371 10.6% 18.9% $87

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Fullerton, CA

$382 10.9% 4.4% $18

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Fullerton, CA

$146 4.2% 23.5% $45

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Fullerton, CA

$88 2.5% 32.2% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Fullerton, CA

$65 1.9% 42.7% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,588 in Fullerton, 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 42% higher in Seattle, WA, 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 $79.0 in Fullerton, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $413 – making Fullerton, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Fullerton, CA

🕒 Local time

12:14 12:14 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

135,161

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Seattle, WA Fullerton, CA 1,570 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Seattle, WA
Fullerton, CA

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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 Fullerton, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA, $3,507 in Fullerton, CA – roughly 8% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,260 in Fullerton, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $2,973 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,391 in Fullerton, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 32% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,507 in Fullerton, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $3,507 in Fullerton, CA to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

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