Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Seattle, WA: $3,782 a month against $4,231 in Pasadena, CA, rent and utilities included – about $5,400 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Pasadena, CA outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

184

Cost of Living Index in Seattle, WA
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Seattle, WA Living Index
206

Cost of Living Index in Pasadena, CA
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Pasadena, CA Living Index

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Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 United States

$3,782

/mo nomad

Pasadena, CA

🇺🇸 United States

$4,231

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,782 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,231 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $3,782
Pasadena, CA $4,231

A couple spends around $5,636 per month in Seattle, WA vs $6,052 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $5,636
Pasadena, CA $6,052

A family of three spends $7,489 per month in Seattle, WA vs $7,874 in Pasadena, CA, rent included.

Seattle, WA $7,489
Pasadena, CA $7,874

Seattle, WA is about 11% cheaper than Pasadena, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Pasadena, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 179%, Pasadena, CA by 212%.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.52 $24.52

$18.14 $18.14

35.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$98.2 $98.2

$75.4 $75.4

30.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.79 $14.79

$9.99 $9.99

48.05%

Cappuccino

$6.52 $6.52

$4.61 $4.61

41.43%

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

$3.23 $3.23

$2.75 $2.75

17.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.17 $3.17

$1.54 $1.54

105.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.85 $7.85

$4.95 $4.95

58.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.03 $8.03

$5.68 $5.68

41.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.21 $1.21

$1.39 $1.39

-12.95%

White Bread (500g)

$5.14 $5.14

$3.88 $3.88

32.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$6.05 $6.05

$2.87 $2.87

110.80%

Eggs

$4.88 $4.88

$5.39 $5.39

-9.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.18 $19.18

$13.39 $13.39

43.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$18.91 $18.91

$13.84 $13.84

36.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.31 $23.31

$12.51 $12.51

86.33%

Apples (1kg)

$5.99 $5.99

$4.60 $4.60

30.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.93 $1.93

$2.14 $2.14

-9.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$4.44 $4.44

18.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.57 $6.57

$6.11 $6.11

7.53%

Potato (1kg)

$3.62 $3.62

$4.50 $4.50

-19.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.31 $3.31

$2.47 $2.47

34.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.78 $2.78

$1.94 $1.94

43.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 $2.51

$2.11 $2.11

18.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$12.18 $12.18

$11.60 $11.60

5.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.83 $14.83

$10.98 $10.98

35.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.22 $4.22

$1.66 $1.66

154.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.77 $5.77

$1.88 $1.88

206.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.95 $2.95

$1.76 $1.76

67.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$106 $106

$103 $103

3.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.65 $2.65

$3.50 $3.50

-24.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.72 $1.72

$1.81 $1.81

-4.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.72 $29.72

$24.30 $24.30

22.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.49 $1.49

$1.51 $1.51

-1.32%

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

$35.9K $35.9K

$27.7K $27.7K

29.74%

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

$26.2K $26.2K

$26.5K $26.5K

-0.78%

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

$302 $302

$243 $243

24.15%

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

$70.1 $70.1

$58.1 $58.1

20.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$85.3 $85.3

$64.7 $64.7

31.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$77.8 $77.8

$35.53 $35.53

119.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.58 $34.58

$35.65 $35.65

-3.00%

Cinema Ticket

$17.84 $17.84

$12.12 $12.12

47.19%

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

$2,973 $2,973

$3,913 $3,913

-24.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K $31.3K

$15.3K $15.3K

105.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.6 $76.6

$31.65 $31.65

141.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.1 $54.1

$34.77 $34.77

55.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$128 $128

$72.8 $72.8

75.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$164 $164

$139 $139

18.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,445 $2,445

$3,170 $3,170

-22.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,947 $1,947

$2,872 $2,872

-32.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,744 $4,744

$5,515 $5,515

-13.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,469 $3,469

$4,881 $4,881

-28.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,367 $7,367

$8,706 $8,706

-15.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,127 $5,127

$8,457 $8,457

-39.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,506 $6,506

$5,437 $5,437

19.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.89

6.33

8.85%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 19, 2026

Last update for Pasadena, CA: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Seattle, WA

$1.9K 51.5%

Pasadena, CA

$2.9K 67.9% 47.5% $925

Groceries & Markets

Seattle, WA

$546 14.4%

Pasadena, CA

$402 9.5% 26.3% $143

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Seattle, WA

$457 12.1%

Pasadena, CA

$366 8.7% 20% $91

Eating Out

Seattle, WA

$400 10.6%

Pasadena, CA

$284 6.7% 29% $116

Clothing & Footwear

Seattle, WA

$190 5%

Pasadena, CA

$125 3% 34.3% $65

Getting Around

Seattle, WA

$129 3.4%

Pasadena, CA

$122 2.9% 5.5% $7.2

Sport & Entertainment

Seattle, WA

$114 3%

Pasadena, CA

$60 1.4% 47.3% $54

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,445 in Seattle, WA versus $3,170 in Pasadena, 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 20% 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 $98.0 in Seattle, WA versus $75.0 in Pasadena, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $546 vs $402 – making Pasadena, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇺🇸 Seattle, WA

🇺🇸 Pasadena, CA

🕒 Local time

12:16 12:16 PM

Same time as Seattle, WA

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

737,015

137,122

💱 Currency

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

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

From you

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

Pasadena, CA costs about 12% more than Seattle, WA, 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 $5,673 per month in Seattle, WA and $6,346 in Pasadena, 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. 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 $4,231 in Pasadena, CA. That's a gap of about 12%.

Public transport costs about 4% less in Seattle, WA. 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 $4,231 in Pasadena, 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 $3,782 in Seattle, WA to $4,231 in Pasadena, CA. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with Seattle, WA. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Pasadena, CA makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.