Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Monrovia, CA: $2,704 a month against $3,782 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
134

Cost of Living Index in Monrovia, CA
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Monrovia, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monrovia, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$2,704

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,704 in Monrovia, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Monrovia, CA $2,704

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,049 in Monrovia, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Monrovia, CA $4,049

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,394 in Monrovia, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Monrovia, CA $5,394

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

Both Seattle, WA and Monrovia, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Monrovia, CA by 100%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$24.92 $24.92

-1.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$101 $101

-2.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$11.66 $11.66

26.84%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.61 $5.61

16.22%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.68 $2.68

20.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.97 $1.97

60.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$8.23 $8.23

-4.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$9.63 $9.63

-16.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.18 $1.18

2.54%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$5.85 $5.85

-12.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$4.23 $4.23

43.03%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.94 $4.94

-1.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$12.40 $12.40

54.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$20.92 $20.92

-9.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$14.06 $14.06

65.79%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$5.62 $5.62

6.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.70 $1.70

13.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.29 $4.29

22.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.35 $6.35

3.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$3.63 $3.63

-0.28%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$3.50 $3.50

-5.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$2.40 $2.40

15.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.27 $2.27

10.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.63 $11.63

4.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$14.76 $14.76

0.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.75 $1.75

141.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$3.10 $3.10

86.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.95 $1.95

51.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$4.61 $4.61

-42.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.81 $1.81

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$35.58 $35.58

-16.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.60 $1.60

-6.88%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.7K $27.7K

29.48%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.6K $26.6K

-1.21%

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

$302 $302

$218 $218

38.40%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$72.4 $72.4

-3.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$71.3 $71.3

19.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$39.11 $39.11

99.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$11.79 $11.79

51.31%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$1,948 $1,948

52.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$42.6K $42.6K

-26.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$73.1 $73.1

4.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$40.92 $40.92

32.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$80.5 $80.5

59.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$171 $171

-4.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$1,577 $1,577

55.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$1,235 $1,235

57.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$2,490 $2,490

90.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$2,041 $2,041

69.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$2,557 $2,557

188.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$2,351 $2,351

118.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.64

3.77%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Monrovia, CA: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Monrovia, CA

$1.2K 45.7% 36.5% $711

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Monrovia, CA

$477 17.7% 12.5% $68

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Monrovia, CA

$362 13.4% 20.9% $95

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Monrovia, CA

$381 14.1% 4.8% $19

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Monrovia, CA

$165 6.1% 13.5% $26

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Monrovia, CA

$21 * 0.8% 83.4% $108

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Monrovia, CA

$63 2.3% 44.8% $51

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $1,577 in Monrovia, CA. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $101 in Monrovia, CA. Groceries tell a different story – $546 in Seattle, WA vs $477 in Monrovia, CA – so Monrovia, CA wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Monrovia, CA

🕒 Local time

14:03 2:03 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

36,590

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Seattle, WA Monrovia, CA 1,540 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Monthly costs with rent: $3,782 in Seattle, WA, $2,704 in Monrovia, CA – roughly 40% apart. Outside of rent, the biggest gap is in transport.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,056 in Monrovia, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA and $101 in Monrovia, CA. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Seattle, WA, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

$3,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $2,704 in Monrovia, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

It depends on your priorities. Seattle, WA has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $2,704 in Monrovia, CA to $3,782 in Seattle, WA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Monrovia, 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.