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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,410 in Los Banos, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,498 in Los Banos, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $4,587 in Los Banos, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 49% more expensive than Los Banos, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Los Banos, CA 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$14.80 $14.80

67.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$79.5 $79.5

47.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$9.96 $9.96

38.25%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.89 $4.89

16.77%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.54 $2.54

20.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.94 $1.94

28.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$6.99 $6.99

12.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.28 $7.28

8.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$0.94 $0.94

43.62%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$3.38 $3.38

49.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$3.04 $3.04

77.30%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$1.68 $1.68

307.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$8.42 $8.42

197.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$7.40 $7.40

114.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$12.43 $12.43

65.65%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.46 $3.46

77.46%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.30 $1.30

116.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$2.79 $2.79

97.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$2.74 $2.74

145.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$2.91 $2.91

8.25%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.46 $2.46

55.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$2.28 $2.28

17.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.47 $2.47

6.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$10.88 $10.88

7.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$12.14 $12.14

29.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$1.85 $1.85

58.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$1.31 $1.31

223.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$2.05 $2.05

37.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.58 $2.58

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.53 $1.53

12.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$28.90 $28.90

4.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.13 $1.13

5.31%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$36.3K $36.3K

-9.92%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$31.7K $31.7K

-17.50%

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

$263 $263

$220 $220

19.09%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$44.17 $44.17

37.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$66.1 $66.1

14.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$43.18 $43.18

84.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$14.77 $14.77

10.16%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,305 $1,305

74.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$23.6K $23.6K

24.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$23.89 $23.89

187.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$22.34 $22.34

132.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$51.5 $51.5

124.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$58.9 $58.9

143.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,609 $1,609

45.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,353 $1,353

37.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,616 $2,616

76.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,227 $2,227

56.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,631 $2,631

195.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,371 $2,371

120.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

$6,555 $6,555

0.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.63

-3.17%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Los Banos, CA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,609 in Los Banos, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 1% 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: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $80.0 in Los Banos, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $300 per month, with Los Banos, 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 Los Banos, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Los Banos, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 49% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Los Banos, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Seattle, WA pays 1% 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 $1,609 in Los Banos, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 82% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,598 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,410 in Los Banos, CA – a 49% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,410 in Los Banos, CA versus $3,598 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Los Banos, CA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Los Banos, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Los Banos, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,410 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Los Banos, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Los Banos, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 49% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.