Last update: Oct 2026

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

For one person, living is cheaper in Quincy, CA: $2,703 a month against $3,785 in Seattle, WA, rent and utilities included – about $13,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Seattle, WA, United States
Quincy, CA, United States
Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 United States
$3,785
/mo nomad
Quincy, CA
🇺🇸 United States
$2,703
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $3,785 per month in Seattle, WA vs $2,703 in Quincy, CA, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $3,785
  • Quincy, CA $2,703

A couple spends around $5,688 per month in Seattle, WA vs $3,709 in Quincy, CA, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $5,688
  • Quincy, CA $3,709

A family of three spends $7,592 per month in Seattle, WA vs $4,714 in Quincy, CA, rent included.

  • Seattle, WA $7,592
  • Quincy, CA $4,714

Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Quincy, CA, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Seattle, WA and Quincy, CA sit above the global median – Seattle, WA by 178%, Quincy, CA by 99%.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$25.30 $25.30
$19.84 $19.84
27.52%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$101 $101
$73.8 $73.8
36.68%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$14.76 $14.76
$11.28 $11.28
30.85%
Cappuccino
$6.50 $6.50
$5.48 $5.48
18.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.21 $3.21
$2.65 $2.65
21.13%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.14 $3.14
$1.97 $1.97
59.39%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$7.97 $7.97
$6.10 $6.10
30.66%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$8.13 $8.13
$6.56 $6.56
23.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.17 $1.17
$1.00 $1.00
17.00%
White Bread (500g)
$5.30 $5.30
$3.66 $3.66
44.81%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$6.40 $6.40
$4.49 $4.49
42.54%
Eggs
$5.06 $5.06
$4.07 $4.07
24.32%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.71 $18.71
$12.49 $12.49
49.80%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$18.72 $18.72
$11.57 $11.57
61.80%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$22.88 $22.88
$17.00 $17.00
34.59%
Apples (1kg)
$6.06 $6.06
$5.05 $5.05
20.00%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 $1.95
$1.63 $1.63
19.63%
Oranges (1kg)
$5.51 $5.51
$4.34 $4.34
26.96%
Tomato (1kg)
$6.52 $6.52
$4.73 $4.73
37.84%
Potato (1kg)
$3.49 $3.49
$2.87 $2.87
21.60%
Onion (1kg)
$3.29 $3.29
$2.97 $2.97
10.77%
Lettuce (1 head)
$2.80 $2.80
$2.21 $2.21
26.70%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$2.58 $2.58
$2.30 $2.30
12.17%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$12.49 $12.49
$10.16 $10.16
22.93%
Wine (Bottle)
$14.87 $14.87
$14.71 $14.71
1.09%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$4.19 $4.19
$1.99 $1.99
110.55%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.80 $5.80
$3.40 $3.40
70.59%
🚌 Getting Around
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$3.05 $3.05
$2.19 $2.19
39.27%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$106 $106
$65.2 $65.2
62.56%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.58 $2.58
$3.33 $3.33
-22.52%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.64 $1.64
$1.63 $1.63
0.61%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$30.12 $30.12
$30.13 $30.13
-0.03%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.41 $1.41
$1.60 $1.60
-11.88%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$36.8K $36.8K
$24.5K $24.5K
50.15%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$26.6K $26.6K
$26.8K $26.8K
-0.87%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$308 $308
$182 $182
68.90%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$69.2 $69.2
$56.4 $56.4
22.71%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$86.1 $86.1
$63.2 $63.2
36.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$76.5 $76.5
$34.42 $34.42
122.11%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$35.50 $35.50
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$18.02 $18.02
$15.11 $15.11
19.26%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$2,746 $2,746
$1,307 $1,307
110.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$30.6K $30.6K
$26.6K $26.6K
15.14%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$79.2 $79.2
$49.56 $49.56
59.71%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$54.3 $54.3
$38.22 $38.22
42.10%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$127 $127
$78.3 $78.3
62.05%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$159 $159
$114 $114
39.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$2,508 $2,508
$1,540 $1,540
62.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,938 $1,938
$1,405 $1,405
38.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$5,117 $5,117
$2,497 $2,497
104.96%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$3,542 $3,542
$1,838 $1,838
92.69%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,374 $7,374
$2,625 $2,625
180.92%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$5,002 $5,002
$2,078 $2,078
140.72%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seattle, WA
Quincy, CA
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$6,470 $6,470
-
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
6.89
6.57
4.87%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: October 26, 2026

Last update for Quincy, CA: October 26, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Seattle, WA
$1.9K
Quincy, CA
$1.4K 27.5% $534
Groceries & Markets
Seattle, WA
$547
Quincy, CA
$400 26.8% $147
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seattle, WA
$463
Quincy, CA
$302 34.8% $161
Eating Out
Seattle, WA
$406
Quincy, CA
$320 21.1% $86
Clothing & Footwear
Seattle, WA
$189
Quincy, CA
$126 33.3% $63
Getting Around
Seattle, WA
$129
Quincy, CA
$85 33.7% $44
Sport & Entertainment
Seattle, WA
$112
Quincy, CA
$65 42.5% $48

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,508 in Seattle, WA versus $1,540 in Quincy, 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 $74 in Quincy, CA. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $547 vs $400 – making Quincy, CA the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇺🇸 Seattle, WA
🇺🇸 Quincy, CA
🕒 Local time
11:49 11:49 AM
11:49 11:49 AM
Same time as Seattle, WA
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
737,015
92,271
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR to USD – United States Dollar Converter

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 28, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.11 USD (1 USD = 0.898 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Seattle, WA Quincy, CA 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Seattle, WA
  • Quincy, 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 Quincy, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Seattle, WA or Quincy, CA?
Seattle, WA costs about 40% more than Quincy, 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.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Seattle, WA and in Quincy, CA?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,677 per month in Seattle, WA and $4,054 in Quincy, CA. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Seattle, WA or Quincy, CA?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Quincy, CA, especially for central apartments: a one-bedroom in the center costs $1,540 there versus $2,508 in Seattle, WA.
How much does it cost to live in Seattle, WA compared to Quincy, CA?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,703 in Quincy, CA. That’s a gap of about 40%.
How expensive is transport in Seattle, WA compared to Quincy, CA?
Public transport costs about 38% less in Quincy, CA. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $2,000/month in Seattle, WA or in Quincy, CA?
$2,000 is a stretch for both – monthly costs hit $3,785 in Seattle, WA and $2,703 in Quincy, CA. You’ll need shared housing and careful budgeting no matter which city you pick.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Quincy, CA – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is more affordable for expats?
For expats, Quincy, CA is the easier option financially – housing and daily costs are lower, and the 40% gap matters a lot on a fixed budget or early-career salary.

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