Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living costs are similar in Seattle, WA and in Monterey, CA: $3,782 and $3,616 a month, rent and utilities included.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
173

Cost of Living Index in Monterey, CA
Learn more

Monterey, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Monterey, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,616

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,616 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Monterey, CA $3,616

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,349 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Monterey, CA $5,349

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,082 in Monterey, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Monterey, CA $7,082

Seattle, WA costs about 5% more than Monterey, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Monterey, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Monterey, CA by 167%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$20.27 $20.27

20.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$78.6 $78.6

24.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$12.10 $12.10

22.23%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$5.22 $5.22

24.90%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$3.20 $3.20

0.94%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.62 $1.62

95.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$5.45 $5.45

44.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$6.06 $6.06

32.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.65 $1.65

-26.67%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.17 $3.17

62.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.63 $2.63

130.04%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$4.57 $4.57

6.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$9.57 $9.57

100.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.38 $13.38

41.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$6.12 $6.12

280.88%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$3.66 $3.66

63.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$1.20 $1.20

60.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$3.22 $3.22

63.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$4.00 $4.00

64.25%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$2.75 $2.75

31.64%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$1.96 $1.96

68.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.74 $1.74

59.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$1.25 $1.25

100.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.59 $11.59

5.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$17.31 $17.31

-14.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$2.73 $2.73

54.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$1.85 $1.85

211.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$2.02 $2.02

46.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$52.9 $52.9

101.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$1.58 $1.58

67.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$0.95 $0.95

81.05%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$35.04 $35.04

-15.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.53 $1.53

-2.61%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$28.9K $28.9K

24.26%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$25.8K $25.8K

1.76%

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

$302 $302

$238 $238

26.78%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$75.1 $75.1

-6.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$71.7 $71.7

18.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$84.1 $84.1

-7.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$10.63 $10.63

225.31%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.75 $12.75

39.92%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$555 $555

435.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$12.5K $12.5K

149.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$76.8 $76.8

-0.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$90.2 $90.2

-40.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$129 $129

-0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$135 $135

22.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$2,490 $2,490

-1.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,205 $2,205

-11.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$4,056 $4,056

16.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$4,027 $4,027

-13.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$7,909 $7,909

-6.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$5,838 $5,838

-12.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$4,771 $4,771

36.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.62

4.08%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Monterey, CA: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Monterey, CA

$2.2K 61% 13.3% $259

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Monterey, CA

$335 9.3% 38.5% $210

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Monterey, CA

$385 10.6% 15.8% $72

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Monterey, CA

$320 8.8% 20% $80

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Monterey, CA

$194 5.4% 1.8% $3.3

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Monterey, CA

$67 1.9% 48% $62

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Monterey, CA

$110 3% 3.5% $3.9

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $2,490 in Monterey, 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 36% higher in Seattle, WA, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $79.0 in Monterey, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $335 – making Monterey, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Monterey, CA

🕒 Local time

06:59 6:59 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

28,803

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Monterey, CA 1,220 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Seattle, WA is pricier by about 5%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $5,424 in Monterey, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,616 in Monterey, CA. That's a gap of about 5%.

Public transport costs about 101% less in Monterey, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,782 in Seattle, WA and $3,616 in Monterey, CA. You'll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

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

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 Monterey, 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.