Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,886 in Seattle, WA versus $4,264 in Los Angeles, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,699 in Seattle, WA versus $6,231 in Los Angeles, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,513 in Seattle, WA versus $8,199 in Los Angeles, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA costs roughly 9% less than in Los Angeles, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 182% above, Los Angeles, CA 209% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$25.10 $25.10

1.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$121 $121

-16.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.80 $14.80

$14.68 $14.68

0.82%

Cappuccino

$6.63 $6.63

$5.86 $5.86

13.14%

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

$3.08 $3.08

$3.77 $3.77

-18.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.96 $2.96

$2.86 $2.86

3.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$7.79 $7.79

1.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$10.13 $10.13

-22.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 $1.22

$1.35 $1.35

-9.63%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$4.81 $4.81

6.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.16 $6.16

$4.93 $4.93

24.95%

Eggs

$5.08 $5.08

$5.77 $5.77

-11.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.31 $21.31

$12.05 $12.05

76.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.42 $18.42

$15.65 $15.65

17.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.04 $23.04

$20.17 $20.17

14.23%

Apples (1kg)

$6.04 $6.04

$5.43 $5.43

11.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 $1.88

$2.35 $2.35

-20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.20 $5.20

$4.92 $4.92

5.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.37 $6.37

$5.67 $5.67

12.35%

Potato (1kg)

$3.78 $3.78

$3.27 $3.27

15.60%

Onion (1kg)

$3.30 $3.30

$2.84 $2.84

16.20%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.03 $2.03

41.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.66 $2.66

$2.43 $2.43

9.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.91 $13.91

$12.88 $12.88

8.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.05 $15.05

$14.95 $14.95

0.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.17 $4.17

$3.11 $3.11

34.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.64 $5.64

$2.80 $2.80

101.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 $2.97

$1.77 $1.77

67.80%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$107 $107

$103 $103

3.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.57 $2.57

$3.05 $3.05

-15.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.82 $1.82

-9.34%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.49 $29.49

$31.69 $31.69

-6.94%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 $1.46

$1.53 $1.53

-4.58%

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

$36.0K $36.0K

$36.9K $36.9K

-2.31%

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

$25.4K $25.4K

$26.3K $26.3K

-3.42%

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

$306 $306

$294 $294

4.12%

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

$70.2 $70.2

$74.5 $74.5

-5.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$87.4 $87.4

$81.8 $81.8

6.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.9 $79.9

$71.8 $71.8

11.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.74 $34.74

$12.10 $12.10

187.11%

Cinema Ticket

$17.85 $17.85

$19.29 $19.29

-7.47%

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

$3,018 $3,018

$1,762 $1,762

71.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K $31.1K

$32.2K $32.2K

-3.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$90.3 $90.3

-15.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$64.4 $64.4

-16.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$126 $126

$115 $115

9.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$162 $162

$193 $193

-15.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,456 $2,456

$2,595 $2,595

-5.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,981 $1,981

$2,384 $2,384

-16.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,881 $4,881

$5,287 $5,287

-7.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,625 $3,625

$4,332 $4,332

-16.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,376 $7,376

$7,393 $7,393

-0.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,007 $5,007

$7,068 $7,068

-29.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,165 $6,165

$4,306 $4,306

43.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.45

6.5

-0.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: September 7, 2026

Last update for Los Angeles, CA: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,456 in Seattle, WA and $2,595 in Los Angeles, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 43% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $101 in Seattle, WA vs $121 in Los Angeles, CA. Groceries flip the comparison at $551 vs $472, with Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear. The 10% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 43% 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: $2,456 in Seattle, WA versus $2,595 in Los Angeles, 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 4% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $3,018 in Seattle, WA versus $1,762 in Los Angeles, 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 Los Angeles, CA, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Expats usually find Seattle, WA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 10% less than in Los Angeles, CA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.