Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and San Leandro, CA Cost of Living Comparison Between Seattle, WA and San Leandro, CA

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,565 in Seattle, WA versus $2,876 in San Leandro, CA.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $5,605 in Seattle, WA versus $4,350 in San Leandro, CA.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $7,645 in Seattle, WA versus $5,823 in San Leandro, CA.

Living in Seattle, WA is roughly 24% more expensive than in San Leandro, CA, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Seattle, WA 167% above, San Leandro, CA 115% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$24.79 $24.79

$20.03 $20.03

23.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$119 $119

$101 $101

17.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.15 $14.15

$15.03 $15.03

-5.85%

Cappuccino

$5.71 $5.71

$5.80 $5.80

-1.55%

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

$2.93 $2.93

$3.22 $3.22

-9.01%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.52 $2.52

$2.66 $2.66

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$7.89 $7.89

$8.05 $8.05

-1.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$8.05 $8.05

$8.87 $8.87

-9.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.45 $1.45

-6.21%

White Bread (500g)

$5.07 $5.07

$4.99 $4.99

1.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$5.25 $5.25

$6.66 $6.66

-21.17%

Eggs

$6.91 $6.91

$6.18 $6.18

11.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$24.95 $24.95

$16.64 $16.64

49.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$15.75 $15.75

$15.07 $15.07

4.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$20.72 $20.72

$23.45 $23.45

-11.64%

Apples (1kg)

$6.19 $6.19

$7.03 $7.03

-11.95%

Banana (1kg)

$2.79 $2.79

$1.75 $1.75

59.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$5.52 $5.52

$4.37 $4.37

26.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.42 $6.42

$5.28 $5.28

21.59%

Potato (1kg)

$3.16 $3.16

$3.88 $3.88

-18.56%

Onion (1kg)

$3.89 $3.89

$4.02 $4.02

-3.23%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.70 $2.70

$1.99 $1.99

35.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.53 $2.53

$2.88 $2.88

-12.15%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.37 $11.37

$10.12 $10.12

12.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.67 $15.67

$12.81 $12.81

22.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.87 $2.87

$2.07 $2.07

38.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.26 $4.26

$2.57 $2.57

65.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.71 $2.71

$2.03 $2.03

33.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.8 $98.8

$97.5 $97.5

1.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 $2.58

$4.04 $4.04

-36.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.63 $1.63

$1.95 $1.95

-16.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.68 $29.68

$39.06 $39.06

-24.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 $1.14

$1.27 $1.27

-10.24%

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

$32.8K $32.8K

$30.3K $30.3K

8.44%

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

$26.4K $26.4K

$26.2K $26.2K

0.70%

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

$264 $264

$237 $237

11.10%

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

$61.6 $61.6

$50.5 $50.5

21.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.5 $75.5

$66.4 $66.4

13.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$78.0 $78.0

$51.0 $51.0

53.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.28 $40.28

Cinema Ticket

$16.11 $16.11

$16.92 $16.92

-4.79%

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

$2,212 $2,212

$1,295 $1,295

70.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K $29.0K

$37.5K $37.5K

-22.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.3 $69.3

$49.22 $49.22

40.84%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.8 $53.8

$40.36 $40.36

33.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$119 $119

$88.9 $88.9

34.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$142 $142

$119 $119

18.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,357 $2,357

$1,623 $1,623

45.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,834 $1,834

$1,363 $1,363

34.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,686 $4,686

$2,661 $2,661

76.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,571 $3,571

$2,236 $2,236

59.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,539 $7,539

$5,059 $5,059

49.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,046 $5,046

$4,107 $4,107

22.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$6,473 $6,473

$5,905 $5,905

9.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.42

6.36

0.94%

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

Last update for Seattle, WA: July 12, 2026

Last update for San Leandro, CA: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $2,357 in Seattle, WA and $1,623 in San Leandro, CA. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Seattle, WA pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $119 in Seattle, WA vs $101 in San Leandro, CA for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $543 vs $504 per month, with San Leandro, 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 San Leandro, CA: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Seattle, WA and San Leandro, CA differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($3,565 vs $2,876 including rent). San Leandro, CA is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 10% higher in Seattle, WA, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $2,357 in Seattle, WA versus $1,623 in San Leandro, CA. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Seattle, WA. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in San Leandro, CA – a meal for two runs $101 versus $119 in Seattle, WA. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Both cities are expensive relative to $3,000. San Leandro, CA is the more realistic option, but even there you'll need to be disciplined with housing, food, and fun money.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find San Leandro, CA gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Seattle, WA. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.