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: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $3,915 in Glendale, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $5,128 in Glendale, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $6,341 in Glendale, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 8% less than in Glendale, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Glendale, CA 192% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$20.15 $20.15

23.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$86.1 $86.1

36.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$11.78 $11.78

16.89%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.86 $5.86

-2.56%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.66 $2.66

14.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.98 $1.98

26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$7.14 $7.14

9.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.98 $7.98

-1.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.23 $1.23

9.76%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.16 $4.16

21.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.07 $4.07

32.43%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$7.17 $7.17

-4.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$10.60 $10.60

136.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$8.62 $8.62

83.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$14.76 $14.76

39.50%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.44 $3.44

78.49%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.87 $1.87

50.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.16 $4.16

32.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.90 $4.90

37.55%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.11 $3.11

1.29%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.53 $2.53

50.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.46 $1.46

84.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.09 $2.09

26.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$11.02 $11.02

5.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.89 $14.89

5.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.58 $2.58

13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$3.27 $3.27

29.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.05 $2.05

37.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

$90.8 $90.8

10.28%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.17 $3.17

-17.98%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.64 $1.64

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$29.34 $29.34

3.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.28 $1.28

-7.03%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$23.9K $23.9K

36.81%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.3K $24.3K

7.49%

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

$263 $263

$181 $181

44.79%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$46.52 $46.52

30.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$61.1 $61.1

24.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.37 $42.37

87.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.13 $14.13

15.15%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,192 $1,192

91.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$24.1K $24.1K

21.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$56.3 $56.3

21.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$34.23 $34.23

51.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$101 $101

14.59%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$153 $153

-6.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,613 $1,613

44.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$2,592 $2,592

-28.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$4,946 $4,946

-6.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$3,501 $3,501

-0.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,647 $2,647

193.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,343 $2,343

123.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$5,012 $5,012

32.02%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Glendale, CA: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,613 in Glendale, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 32% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $86.0 in Glendale, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $382 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 9% in total monthly costs ($3,598 vs $3,915 including rent). Seattle, WA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Seattle, WA pays 32% more on average, 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: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,613 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 10% less than in Glendale, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,192 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 9% less than in Glendale, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.