Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $4,001 in Irvine, CA, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Irvine, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
192

Cost of Living Index in Irvine, CA
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Irvine, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Irvine, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,001

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,001 in Irvine, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Irvine, CA $4,001

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,760 in Irvine, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Irvine, CA $5,760

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,519 in Irvine, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Irvine, CA $7,519

Seattle, WA is about 5% cheaper than Irvine, CA.

Both Seattle, WA and Irvine, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Irvine, CA by 194%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$25.39 $25.39

-0.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

-0.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.49 $11.49

28.46%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.71 $5.71

13.84%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.82 $2.82

13.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.03 $2.03

54.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.23 $8.23

-3.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.88 $9.88

-17.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.19 $1.19

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.71 $5.71

-7.18%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.28 $4.28

49.53%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.56 $12.56

48.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$20.26 $20.26

-7.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$13.94 $13.94

64.13%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.49 $5.49

10.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.72 $1.72

13.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.25 $4.25

29.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.68 $6.68

-2.40%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.53 $3.53

-1.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.60 $3.60

-8.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.31 $2.31

21.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.20 $2.20

17.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.81 $11.81

5.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.71 $14.71

1.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.75 $1.75

139.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.15 $3.15

84.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$71.8 $71.8

47.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.48 $4.48

-42.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.84 $1.84

-10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$35.43 $35.43

-14.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.51 $1.51

-6.62%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.9K $27.9K

31.78%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.8K $26.8K

-0.86%

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

$308 $308

$212 $212

44.93%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$70.2 $70.2

-1.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.9 $68.9

24.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$38.15 $38.15

100.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$13.08 $13.08

171.41%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.10 $12.10

48.93%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,897 $1,897

44.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$42.3K $42.3K

-27.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$72.7 $72.7

8.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.09 $41.09

32.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$81.5 $81.5

55.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$168 $168

-5.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$3,356 $3,356

-25.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,471 $2,471

-21.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$5,294 $5,294

-3.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$4,024 $4,024

-11.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$9,053 $9,053

-18.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$8,007 $8,007

-37.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,741 $6,741

-4.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Irvine, 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%

Irvine, CA

$2.5K 61.8% 27.5% $533

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Irvine, CA

$473 11.8% 13.5% $74

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Irvine, CA

$351 8.8% 24.1% $111

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Irvine, CA

$386 9.7% 4.9% $20

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Irvine, CA

$163 4.1% 13.4% $25

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Irvine, CA

$93 2.3% 27.7% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Irvine, CA

$62 1.6% 44.6% $50

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $3,356 in Irvine, 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 4% higher in Irvine, CA, 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $101 in Irvine, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $547 in Seattle, WA vs $473 in Irvine, CA – so Irvine, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Irvine, CA

🕒 Local time

14:18 2:18 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

209,716

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Irvine, CA 1,590 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $6,002 in Irvine, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $3,356 in Irvine, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $4,001 in Irvine, CA. That makes Seattle, WA about 5% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,897 in Irvine, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $4,001 in Irvine, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Seattle, WA costs $3,785 versus $4,001 in Irvine, CA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Seattle, WA. If higher salaries or specific career opportunities are the priority, Irvine, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.