Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Livermore, CA: $3,579 a month against $3,782 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
172

Cost of Living Index in Livermore, CA
Learn more

Livermore, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Livermore, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,579

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,579 in Livermore, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Livermore, CA $3,579

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,837 in Livermore, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Livermore, CA $5,837

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $8,095 in Livermore, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Livermore, CA $8,095

Seattle, WA costs about 6% more than Livermore, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seattle, WA and Livermore, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Livermore, CA by 164%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$22.15 $22.15

10.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$70.8 $70.8

38.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$10.57 $10.57

39.92%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.92 $5.92

10.14%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$1.97 $1.97

63.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$3.06 $3.06

3.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.95 $5.95

31.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$7.53 $7.53

6.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.96 $1.96

-38.27%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.36 $4.36

17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$5.84 $5.84

3.60%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$6.31 $6.31

-22.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$26.79 $26.79

-28.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$16.36 $16.36

15.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$21.93 $21.93

6.29%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$6.89 $6.89

-13.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.26 $2.26

-14.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.25 $6.25

-16.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$10.34 $10.34

-36.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.77 $3.77

-3.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$4.69 $4.69

-29.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.49 $2.49

11.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$3.12 $3.12

-19.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.92 $11.92

2.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$13.04 $13.04

13.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.10 $2.10

100.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$2.90 $2.90

98.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.04 $2.04

44.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$59.6 $59.6

78.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.47 $3.47

-23.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.89 $1.89

-8.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$39.52 $39.52

-24.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.45 $1.45

2.76%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.9K $27.9K

28.52%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

-0.01%

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

$302 $302

$180 $180

67.23%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$61.8 $61.8

13.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$75.3 $75.3

13.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$40.49 $40.49

92.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$13.74 $13.74

29.84%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$2,506 $2,506

18.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$35.2K $35.2K

-11.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$49.12 $49.12

55.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$38.80 $38.80

39.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$63.8 $63.8

100.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$233 $233

-29.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,427 $2,427

0.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,019 $2,019

-3.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$5,721 $5,721

-17.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$4,631 $4,631

-25.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$6,977 $6,977

-6.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.3

9.37%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Livermore, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Livermore, CA

$2K 56.4% 3.7% $73

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Livermore, CA

$575 16.1% 5.4% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Livermore, CA

$318 8.9% 30.5% $140

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Livermore, CA

$345 9.6% 13.7% $55

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Livermore, CA

$173 4.8% 8.9% $17

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Livermore, CA

$81 2.3% 37.6% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Livermore, CA

$68 1.9% 40.1% $46

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,427 in Livermore, 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 7% higher in Livermore, CA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $71.0 in Livermore, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $546 in Seattle, WA vs $575 in Livermore, CA – so Seattle, WA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Livermore, CA

🕒 Local time

13:31 1:31 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

86,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Livermore, CA 1,100 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA costs about 6% more than Livermore, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,368 in Livermore, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 5% cheaper in Seattle, WA – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $71.0 in Livermore, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,579 in Livermore, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Livermore, CA costs $3,579 versus $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

If budget matters most, go with Livermore, 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.