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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,598 in Seattle, WA versus $2,635 in Norwalk, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,539 in Seattle, WA versus $3,835 in Norwalk, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,479 in Seattle, WA versus $5,035 in Norwalk, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 37% more expensive than Norwalk, CA, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 168% above, Norwalk, CA 97% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.80 $24.80

$21.71 $21.71

14.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$118 $118

$84.2 $84.2

39.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.77 $13.77

$12.13 $12.13

13.52%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$4.93 $4.93

15.82%

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

$3.05 $3.05

$2.69 $2.69

13.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.50 $2.50

$1.97 $1.97

26.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.83 $7.83

$7.07 $7.07

10.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.88 $7.88

$7.20 $7.20

9.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 $1.35

$1.11 $1.11

21.62%

White Bread (500g)

$5.06 $5.06

$4.03 $4.03

25.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.39 $5.39

$4.19 $4.19

28.64%

Eggs

$6.85 $6.85

$6.94 $6.94

-1.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$25.07 $25.07

$10.80 $10.80

132.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.85 $15.85

$8.52 $8.52

86.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.59 $20.59

$14.49 $14.49

42.10%

Apples (1kg)

$6.14 $6.14

$3.38 $3.38

81.66%

Banana (1kg)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.89 $1.89

49.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.02 $4.02

37.06%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.74 $6.74

$4.91 $4.91

37.27%

Potato (1kg)

$3.15 $3.15

$3.07 $3.07

2.61%

Onion (1kg)

$3.82 $3.82

$2.44 $2.44

56.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.69 $2.69

$1.79 $1.79

50.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.64 $2.64

$2.19 $2.19

20.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.65 $11.65

$11.18 $11.18

4.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.69 $15.69

$14.87 $14.87

5.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.93 $2.93

$2.49 $2.49

17.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.24 $4.24

$4.36 $4.36

-2.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.82 $2.82

$1.96 $1.96

43.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$100 $100

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.60 $2.60

$3.15 $3.15

-17.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.65 $1.65

4.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.22 $30.22

$29.68 $29.68

1.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 $1.19

$1.30 $1.30

-8.46%

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

$32.7K $32.7K

$24.1K $24.1K

35.81%

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

$26.1K $26.1K

$24.0K $24.0K

8.63%

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

$263 $263

$184 $184

42.54%

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

$60.9 $60.9

$66.2 $66.2

-8.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.9 $75.9

$61.2 $61.2

24.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$79.6 $79.6

$42.60 $42.60

86.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$39.89 $39.89

Cinema Ticket

$16.27 $16.27

$13.80 $13.80

17.90%

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

$2,281 $2,281

$1,222 $1,222

86.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.3K $29.3K

$24.2K $24.2K

21.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.6 $68.6

$55.1 $55.1

24.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$52.0 $52.0

$35.13 $35.13

47.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$116 $116

$87.4 $87.4

32.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$143 $143

$149 $149

-3.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,336 $2,336

$1,574 $1,574

48.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,863 $1,863

$1,375 $1,375

35.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,628 $4,628

$2,583 $2,583

79.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,477 $3,477

$2,232 $2,232

55.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,766 $7,766

$2,703 $2,703

187.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,232 $5,232

$2,335 $2,335

124.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,617 $6,617

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.49

-1.08%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: May 30, 2026

Last update for Norwalk, CA: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,336 in Seattle, WA and $1,574 in Norwalk, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $118 in Seattle, WA vs $84.0 in Norwalk, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $547 vs $382 per month, with Norwalk, 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 Norwalk, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Norwalk, CA wins on cost – living expenses run 37% lower than in Seattle, WA. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Norwalk, CA the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $5,397 in Seattle, WA and $3,953 in Norwalk, CA to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,336 in Seattle, WA versus $1,574 in Norwalk, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $2,281 in Seattle, WA versus $1,222 in Norwalk, CA. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Norwalk, CA – a meal for two runs $84.0 versus $118 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $2,635 in Norwalk, CA versus $3,598 in Seattle, WA, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Norwalk, CA but tight or insufficient in Seattle, WA. The gap between the two cities makes Norwalk, CA the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both work as nomad bases, but Norwalk, CA delivers better value – similar infrastructure at $2,635 monthly. If stretching your runway or maximizing savings is the goal, the price difference makes Norwalk, CA hard to pass up.

Expats usually find Norwalk, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 37% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.