Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Huntington Beach, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Huntington Beach, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,836 in Seattle, WA versus $3,617 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,675 in Seattle, WA versus $6,050 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,514 in Seattle, WA versus $8,484 in Huntington Beach, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 6% more expensive than in Huntington Beach, CA, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Huntington Beach, CA 166% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.03 $25.03

$15.97 $15.97

56.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$100 $100

$101 $101

-0.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.81 $14.81

$15.18 $15.18

-2.44%

Cappuccino

$6.46 $6.46

$6.01 $6.01

7.49%

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

$2.95 $2.95

$3.20 $3.20

-7.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.22 $2.22

26.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$8.05 $8.05

$7.06 $7.06

14.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.17 $8.17

$7.87 $7.87

3.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.23 $1.23

-4.88%

White Bread (500g)

$5.17 $5.17

$4.25 $4.25

21.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.98 $5.98

$4.30 $4.30

39.07%

Eggs

$5.41 $5.41

$4.83 $4.83

12.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.56 $20.56

$15.59 $15.59

31.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.56 $18.56

$17.59 $17.59

5.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.73 $22.73

$15.73 $15.73

44.50%

Apples (1kg)

$5.93 $5.93

$5.61 $5.61

5.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.94 $1.94

$1.79 $1.79

8.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.13 $5.13

$6.17 $6.17

-16.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.30 $6.30

$6.61 $6.61

-4.69%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 $3.57

$4.46 $4.46

-19.96%

Onion (1kg)

$3.19 $3.19

$3.52 $3.52

-9.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.76 $2.76

$2.30 $2.30

20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.27 $2.27

17.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.80 $13.80

$11.03 $11.03

25.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 $14.77

$15.16 $15.16

-2.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.18 $4.18

$2.03 $2.03

105.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 $5.69

$2.57 $2.57

121.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.94 $2.94

$3.03 $3.03

-2.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$109 $109

$49.67 $49.67

118.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.42 $4.42

-40.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.88 $1.88

-11.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.39 $30.39

$36.27 $36.27

-16.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.45 $1.45

$1.50 $1.50

-3.33%

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

$36.5K $36.5K

$37.3K $37.3K

-2.11%

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

$25.8K $25.8K

$25.2K $25.2K

2.68%

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

$298 $298

$234 $234

27.51%

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

$71.7 $71.7

$63.1 $63.1

13.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$84.5 $84.5

$78.3 $78.3

7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$81.3 $81.3

$45.85 $45.85

77.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.73 $34.73

Cinema Ticket

$17.83 $17.83

$12.88 $12.88

38.43%

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

$3,017 $3,017

$1,444 $1,444

109.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.8K $30.8K

$36.3K $36.3K

-15.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$81.9 $81.9

$72.8 $72.8

12.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.6 $54.6

$40.18 $40.18

35.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$95.2 $95.2

33.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$126 $126

30.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,422 $2,422

$2,675 $2,675

-9.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,893 $1,893

$2,179 $2,179

-13.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,856 $4,856

$5,059 $5,059

-4.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,525 $3,525

$5,219 $5,219

-32.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,623 $7,623

$8,044 $8,044

-5.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,129 $5,129

$5,148 $5,148

-0.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,585 $6,585

$5,510 $5,510

19.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.25

6.24

0.16%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: August 8, 2026

Last update for Huntington Beach, CA: August 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,422 in Seattle, WA and $2,675 in Huntington Beach, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 20% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $100 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in Huntington Beach, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $547 vs $472, with Huntington Beach, CA cheaper for home cooking.

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 Huntington Beach, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huntington Beach, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 6% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Huntington Beach, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 20% 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: $2,422 in Seattle, WA versus $2,675 in Huntington Beach, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Huntington Beach, CA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $100 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $2,000. Huntington Beach, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both work as nomad bases, but Huntington Beach, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $3,617 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Huntington Beach, CA hard to pass up.

Safety-wise, Seattle, WA and Huntington Beach, 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 Huntington Beach, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.