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: $3,604 in Seattle, WA versus $2,408 in Los Banos, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,549 in Seattle, WA versus $3,496 in Los Banos, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,494 in Seattle, WA versus $4,583 in Los Banos, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 50% more expensive than in Los Banos, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 170% above, Los Banos, CA 80% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.78 $24.78

$14.87 $14.87

66.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$122 $122

$81.5 $81.5

49.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.02 $14.02

$10.16 $10.16

37.99%

Cappuccino

$5.56 $5.56

$4.92 $4.92

13.01%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.54 $2.54

20.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 $2.39

$2.03 $2.03

17.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.94 $7.94

$6.97 $6.97

13.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.09 $8.09

$7.53 $7.53

7.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.38 $1.38

$0.95 $0.95

45.26%

White Bread (500g)

$4.95 $4.95

$3.26 $3.26

51.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.35 $5.35

$2.89 $2.89

85.12%

Eggs

$6.59 $6.59

$1.65 $1.65

299.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.87 $24.87

$8.64 $8.64

187.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.92 $15.92

$7.74 $7.74

105.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.21 $20.21

$12.56 $12.56

60.91%

Apples (1kg)

$6.17 $6.17

$3.30 $3.30

86.97%

Banana (1kg)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.30 $1.30

112.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.38 $5.38

$2.78 $2.78

93.53%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$2.78 $2.78

134.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.21 $3.21

$2.78 $2.78

15.47%

Onion (1kg)

$3.75 $3.75

$2.45 $2.45

53.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.84 $2.84

$2.28 $2.28

24.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 $2.62

$2.50 $2.50

4.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.69 $11.69

$11.10 $11.10

5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.46 $15.46

$12.23 $12.23

26.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.83 $2.83

$1.91 $1.91

48.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.25 $4.25

$1.29 $1.29

229.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.76 $2.76

$1.97 $1.97

40.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$97.8 $97.8

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$2.58 $2.58

0.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.65 $1.65

$1.49 $1.49

10.74%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.77 $29.77

$29.55 $29.55

0.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.13 $1.13

0.88%

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

$33.1K $33.1K

$36.4K $36.4K

-8.87%

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

$25.9K $25.9K

$31.0K $31.0K

-16.39%

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

$270 $270

$220 $220

22.26%

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

$59.7 $59.7

$44.22 $44.22

34.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.3 $74.3

$66.0 $66.0

12.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.7 $77.7

$43.40 $43.40

79.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$41.03 $41.03

Cinema Ticket

$15.78 $15.78

$15.28 $15.28

3.27%

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

$2,279 $2,279

$1,274 $1,274

78.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.8K $29.8K

$23.4K $23.4K

27.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.8 $69.8

$23.72 $23.72

194.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.3 $52.3

$22.25 $22.25

134.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$117 $117

$52.7 $52.7

122.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$59.4 $59.4

141.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,332 $2,332

$1,624 $1,624

43.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,899 $1,899

$1,375 $1,375

38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,756 $4,756

$2,623 $2,623

81.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,472 $3,472

$2,219 $2,219

56.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,709 $7,709

$2,778 $2,778

177.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,983 $4,983

$2,377 $2,377

109.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,641 $6,641

$6,680 $6,680

-0.58%

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: July 19, 2026

Last update for Los Banos, CA: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,332 in Seattle, WA and $1,624 in Los Banos, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Los Banos, CA pays 1% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $122 in Seattle, WA vs $81.0 in Los Banos, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $541 vs $301 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 50% 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.

On paper, salaries run 1% lower in Los Banos, CA. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,332 in Seattle, WA versus $1,624 in Los Banos, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 80% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $3,604 per month in Seattle, WA versus $2,408 in Los Banos, CA – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,408 in Los Banos, CA versus $3,604 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 $2,408 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 50% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.