Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Modesto, CA: $2,708 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
130

Cost of Living Index in Modesto, CA
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Modesto, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Modesto, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,708

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,708 in Modesto, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Modesto, CA $2,708

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,910 in Modesto, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Modesto, CA $3,910

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,112 in Modesto, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Modesto, CA $5,112

Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Modesto, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Seattle, WA and Modesto, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Modesto, CA by 99%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$15.19 $15.19

66.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$79.2 $79.2

27.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$8.88 $8.88

66.22%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.39 $5.39

20.59%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.61 $2.61

22.99%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.58 $1.58

98.73%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$5.07 $5.07

57.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$7.12 $7.12

14.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.05 $1.05

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.65 $3.65

45.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.09 $4.09

56.48%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.54 $5.54

-8.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.89 $12.89

45.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$13.35 $13.35

40.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$19.65 $19.65

16.44%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.38 $5.38

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$2.01 $2.01

-2.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$5.54 $5.54

-0.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.46 $5.46

19.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.53 $3.53

-1.13%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.93 $2.93

12.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.43 $2.43

15.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.55 $2.55

1.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.56 $11.56

8.04%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.25 $15.25

-2.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.88 $1.88

122.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.33 $3.33

74.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.96 $1.96

55.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$40.49 $40.49

161.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$3.43 $3.43

-24.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$3.05 $3.05

-46.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$30.56 $30.56

-1.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.43 $1.43

-1.40%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$36.9K $36.9K

-0.33%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$26.7K $26.7K

-0.27%

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

$308 $308

$257 $257

19.70%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$48.45 $48.45

42.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.6 $68.6

25.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$37.85 $37.85

101.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$14.77 $14.77

140.35%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$11.21 $11.21

60.75%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,836 $1,836

49.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$40.6K $40.6K

-24.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$47.86 $47.86

65.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$39.21 $39.21

38.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$95.1 $95.1

33.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$121 $121

31.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$1,302 $1,302

92.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$1,359 $1,359

42.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$1,824 $1,824

180.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,155 $2,155

64.39%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,619 $3,619

103.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,962 $2,962

68.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$4,071 $4,071

58.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.1

12.95%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Modesto, CA: October 25, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Modesto, CA

$1.4K 50.2% 29.9% $579

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Modesto, CA

$442 16.3% 19.2% $105

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Modesto, CA

$374 13.8% 19.2% $89

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Modesto, CA

$269 9.9% 33.7% $137

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Modesto, CA

$136 5% 27.7% $52

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Modesto, CA

$67 2.5% 48.1% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Modesto, CA

$60 2.2% 46.4% $52

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,302 in Modesto, 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 59% higher in Seattle, WA. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $79 in Modesto, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $442 – making Modesto, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Modesto, CA

🕒 Local time

10:44 10:44 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

211,266

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.898 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Modesto, CA 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Modesto, 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 $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,062 in Modesto, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Modesto, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,302 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,708 in Modesto, CA. That’s a gap of about 40%.

Public transport costs about 62% less in Modesto, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,708 in Modesto, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

Families tend to lean toward Modesto, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Modesto, 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.