Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Ojai, CA: $3,611 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $2,100 less a year. The total is higher in Seattle, WA despite lower rent and utilities.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
175

Cost of Living Index in Ojai, CA
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Ojai, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,785

/mo nomad

Ojai, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,611

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,611 in Ojai, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,785
Ojai, CA $3,611

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,299 in Ojai, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,688
Ojai, CA $4,299

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,987 in Ojai, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,592
Ojai, CA $4,987

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

Both Seattle, WA and Ojai, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Ojai, CA by 165%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.30 $25.30

$24.82 $24.82

1.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$101 $101

$50.9 $50.9

98.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.76 $14.76

$11.52 $11.52

28.13%

Cappuccino

$6.50 $6.50

$5.66 $5.66

14.84%

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

$3.21 $3.21

$2.55 $2.55

25.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.14 $3.14

$1.76 $1.76

78.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.97 $7.97

$8.22 $8.22

-3.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.13 $8.13

$9.60 $9.60

-15.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.19 $1.19

-1.68%

White Bread (500g)

$5.30 $5.30

$3.76 $3.76

40.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.40 $6.40

$4.23 $4.23

51.30%

Eggs

$5.06 $5.06

$4.85 $4.85

4.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.71 $18.71

$12.34 $12.34

51.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.72 $18.72

$5.20 $5.20

260.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$22.88 $22.88

$11.15 $11.15

105.20%

Apples (1kg)

$6.06 $6.06

$5.43 $5.43

11.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.95 $1.95

$1.73 $1.73

12.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.51 $5.51

$4.31 $4.31

27.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.52 $6.52

$6.47 $6.47

0.77%

Potato (1kg)

$3.49 $3.49

$1.26 $1.26

176.98%

Onion (1kg)

$3.29 $3.29

$2.71 $2.71

21.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.80 $2.80

$1.95 $1.95

43.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.58 $2.58

$2.27 $2.27

13.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.49 $12.49

$10.91 $10.91

14.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.87 $14.87

$14.73 $14.73

0.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.19 $4.19

$1.70 $1.70

146.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.80 $5.80

$3.20 $3.20

81.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.05 $3.05

$1.95 $1.95

56.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$55.0 $55.0

92.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.53 $4.53

-43.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.64 $1.64

$1.90 $1.90

-13.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$30.12 $30.12

$36.30 $36.30

-17.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.41 $1.41

$1.54 $1.54

-8.44%

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

$36.8K $36.8K

$27.7K $27.7K

32.63%

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

$26.6K $26.6K

-0.05%

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

$308 $308

$213 $213

44.33%

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

$69.2 $69.2

$70.9 $70.9

-2.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$86.1 $86.1

$70.4 $70.4

22.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 $76.5

$39.58 $39.58

93.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$35.50 $35.50

Cinema Ticket

$18.02 $18.02

$12.08 $12.08

49.17%

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

$2,746 $2,746

$1,874 $1,874

46.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$30.6K $30.6K

$43.5K $43.5K

-29.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$79.2 $79.2

$57.8 $57.8

37.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.3 $54.3

$41.11 $41.11

32.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$127 $127

$74.1 $74.1

71.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$159 $159

$167 $167

-4.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,508 $2,508

$2,829 $2,829

-11.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,938 $1,938

$2,227 $2,227

-12.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$5,117 $5,117

$2,505 $2,505

104.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,542 $3,542

$2,096 $2,096

69.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,374 $7,374

$3,150 $3,150

134.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,002 $5,002

$2,140 $2,140

133.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,470 $6,470

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 26, 2026

Last update for Ojai, 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%

Ojai, CA

$2.2K 61.7% 14.9% $288

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$547 14.5%

Ojai, CA

$358 9.9% 34.5% $189

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$463 12.2%

Ojai, CA

$354 9.8% 23.4% $108

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$406 10.7%

Ojai, CA

$379 10.5% 6.8% $28

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$189 5%

Ojai, CA

$153 4.2% 18.9% $36

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Ojai, CA

$77 2.1% 40.4% $52

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$112 3%

Ojai, CA

$64 1.8% 43.3% $49

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $2,829 in Ojai, 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 $101 in Seattle, WA versus $51 in Ojai, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $358 – making Ojai, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Ojai, CA

🕒 Local time

15:12 3:12 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

7,500

💱 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 Ojai, CA 1,490 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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

Seattle, WA costs about 5% more than Ojai, CA, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. 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 $5,417 in Ojai, 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 $2,829 in Ojai, CA.

Kindergarten costs $2,746 per month in Seattle, WA and $1,874 in Ojai, CA. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 53% more in Seattle, WA, though the gap depends on what you buy.

$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $3,611 in Ojai, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Ojai, CA costs $3,611 versus $3,785 in Seattle, WA. Both appeal to remote workers, and the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.