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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,565 in Seattle, WA versus $4,017 in Glendale, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,605 in Seattle, WA versus $5,247 in Glendale, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,645 in Seattle, WA versus $6,478 in Glendale, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 11% less than in Glendale, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 167% above, Glendale, CA 201% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.79 $24.79

$19.92 $19.92

24.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$86.4 $86.4

37.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$12.07 $12.07

17.23%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.80 $5.80

-1.55%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$2.67 $2.67

9.74%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.04 $2.04

23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$6.97 $6.97

13.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.10 $8.10

-0.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.24 $1.24

9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.02 $4.02

26.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.14 $4.14

26.81%

Eggs

$6.91 $6.91

$6.84 $6.84

1.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.95 $24.95

$10.69 $10.69

133.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.75 $15.75

$8.71 $8.71

80.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$14.32 $14.32

44.69%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$3.43 $3.43

80.47%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.96 $1.96

42.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$3.96 $3.96

39.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$4.87 $4.87

31.83%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.08 $3.08

2.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$2.46 $2.46

58.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.40 $1.40

92.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.10 $2.10

20.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 $11.37

$10.94 $10.94

3.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.67 $15.67

$14.96 $14.96

4.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.55 $2.55

12.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 $4.26

$3.23 $3.23

31.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$1.99 $1.99

36.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

$91.0 $91.0

8.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.15 $3.15

-18.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.69 $1.69

-3.55%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.68 $29.68

$29.21 $29.21

1.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.30 $1.30

-12.31%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$24.3K $24.3K

35.30%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$24.5K $24.5K

7.80%

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

$264 $264

$179 $179

47.46%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$46.49 $46.49

32.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$60.2 $60.2

25.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 $78.0

$43.02 $43.02

81.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.28 $40.28

Cinema Ticket

$16.11 $16.11

$14.12 $14.12

14.09%

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

$2,212 $2,212

$1,206 $1,206

83.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K $29.0K

$23.8K $23.8K

21.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 $69.3

$55.6 $55.6

24.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$34.81 $34.81

54.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$103 $103

15.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$153 $153

-7.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 $2,357

$1,629 $1,629

44.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$2,574 $2,574

-28.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,686 $4,686

$4,844 $4,844

-3.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,571 $3,571

$3,456 $3,456

3.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,539 $7,539

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,046 $5,046

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,473 $6,473

$5,030 $5,030

28.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.53

-1.68%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 12, 2026

Last update for Glendale, CA: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,357 in Seattle, WA and $1,629 in Glendale, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 29% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $86.0 in Glendale, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $543 vs $378 per month, with Glendale, CA cheaper across the board.

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 Glendale, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and Glendale, CA differ by about 13% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $4,017 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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: $2,357 in Seattle, WA versus $1,629 in Glendale, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Seattle, WA runs roughly 9% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,212 in Seattle, WA versus $1,206 in Glendale, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

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

For families, Seattle, WA is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Glendale, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Glendale, CA are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.