Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and Newport Beach, CA

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,785 a month against $5,160 in Newport Beach, CA, rent and utilities included – about $16,500 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Newport Beach, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
Learn more

Seattle, WA Living Index
248

Cost of Living Index in Newport Beach, CA
Learn more

Newport Beach, CA Living Index

Jump to prices

Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Newport Beach, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$5,160

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $5,160 in Newport Beach, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Newport Beach, CA $5,160

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,319 in Newport Beach, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Newport Beach, CA $7,319

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $9,477 in Newport Beach, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Newport Beach, CA $9,477

Seattle, WA is about 27% cheaper than Newport Beach, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both Seattle, WA and Newport Beach, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Newport Beach, CA by 279%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.79 $24.79

2.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$98.1 $98.1

2.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$14.86 $14.86

-0.67%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.72 $5.72

13.64%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$3.02 $3.02

6.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$2.41 $2.41

30.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$7.31 $7.31

9.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.54 $9.54

-14.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.22 $1.22

-4.10%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$5.67 $5.67

-6.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.22 $4.22

51.66%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$5.12 $5.12

-1.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.22 $12.22

53.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$8.71 $8.71

114.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$14.03 $14.03

63.08%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$4.60 $4.60

31.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.70 $1.70

14.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$3.94 $3.94

39.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$5.74 $5.74

13.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$3.62 $3.62

-3.59%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$3.07 $3.07

7.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$2.11 $2.11

32.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.29 $2.29

12.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$11.62 $11.62

7.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$15.05 $15.05

-1.20%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.74 $1.74

140.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.10 $3.10

87.10%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.60 $4.60

-43.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.82 $1.82

-9.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$36.58 $36.58

-17.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.53 $1.53

-7.84%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.8K $27.8K

32.39%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

$25.9K $25.9K

2.69%

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

$308 $308

$217 $217

41.49%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$80.8 $80.8

-14.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$68.8 $68.8

25.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$117 $117

-34.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

$28.41 $28.41

24.96%

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$20.06 $20.06

-10.17%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,746 $1,746

57.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$36.6K $36.6K

-16.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$62.3 $62.3

27.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.38 $41.38

31.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$79.4 $79.4

59.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$104 $104

52.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$4,338 $4,338

-42.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$3,700 $3,700

-47.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$7,186 $7,186

-28.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$6,170 $6,170

-42.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$16.2K $16.2K

-54.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$16.0K $16.0K

-68.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

$6,237 $6,237

3.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.45

6.82%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Newport Beach, CA: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.2%

Newport Beach, CA

$3.7K 71.7% 90.9% $1.8K

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Newport Beach, CA

$404 7.8% 26.1% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Newport Beach, CA

$367 7.1% 20.7% $96

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Newport Beach, CA

$389 7.5% 4.3% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Newport Beach, CA

$129 2.5% 31.5% $59

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Newport Beach, CA

$14 * 0.3% 89.4% $115

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Newport Beach, CA

$157 3.1% 40% $45

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $4,338 in Newport Beach, 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 4% higher in Seattle, WA, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $101 in Seattle, WA versus $98 in Newport Beach, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $404 – making Newport Beach, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Newport Beach, CA

🕒 Local time

07:59 7:59 AM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

85,186

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.896 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Seattle, WA Newport Beach, CA 1,600 km ≈ 2 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Yes – Newport Beach, CA is pricier by about 36%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in leisure.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $7,740 in Newport Beach, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Seattle, WA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $2,508 there versus $4,338 in Newport Beach, CA.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $5,160 in Newport Beach, CA. That makes Seattle, WA about 27% cheaper.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,746 in Newport Beach, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

$2,500 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $5,160 in Newport Beach, 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 $3,785 in Seattle, WA to $5,160 in Newport Beach, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.